Thermodynamics and quantum physics pose certain limits to the efficiency of solar cells, but current technology doesn't even come close to those. There is a lot of potential for optimization but for the moment the recently achieved value of 24.7 % for ultra-thin cells isn't too bad.
At the Intersolar 2013 trade show there will be a new category of the »Intersolar AWARD« - so if you've got a really good project going on, it's time to apply! Documents may be submitted from February 1 to March 28.
Currently the green-energy industries in both Germany and Canada have a globally recognised leadership role. In order to stay ahead of the field, closer ties between researchers may be a good idea. Fraunhofer and the the University of British Columbia are now trying joint scientific projects for the energy changeover.
Just after the announcement of China’s National Energy Administration to install 10 GW additional photovoltaic capacity during 2013, Beijing reported a new pollution record this weekend. Arguably, a centrally planned economy may have its benefits, but even this enormous addition of renewable energy is going to be just a drop in the ocean. However, it's already having a huge impact on the stock market. The gold rush has been declared opened...
Despite all the opportunities the »energy turnaround« or »Energiewende« provides, the German PV market is in turmoil. A good reason for a big participant to try to gain a foothold in one of the largest potential markets, China.
It is unclear whether Berlin's new airport will open in 2013, 2014 or ever, but among the potential ruins an interesting renewable energy project might prevail. Five project partners combine photovoltaics, a wind farm and hydrogen technology to an environmentally sensible mobility solution.
Conventional photovoltaic technology is being installed worldwide on a large scale, but their manufacturing is fairly expensive, and every progress in efficiency costs even more. There are some alternatives to the normally used, expensive semiconductor processes but unfortunately they lack efficiency. A special technology using carbon only also can't compete efficiencywise, but it's promising in terms of possible future development.
'Offshore' usually means wind or oil while photovoltaics is restricted to mainland. Now, solar cells are beginning to float - not a bad idea, since there is so much more ocean than solid land.
Strange decisions on soon-to-be-former parts of the company have become a trademark of Siemens over the past decade. The newest episode: Planning the exit from the solar business.
During the EU PVSEC tradeshow that closed today in Frankfurt, new methods making solar cell production more efficient and cheaper were animately discussed. Fraunhofer IST demonstrated various technologies that might change everything.
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