Solar Technologies – Page 25 – TechConnect Briefs

Thin film solar cell based on microcrystalline nanostructure silicon grown in low temperature condition

Chung Y.B., Lim J.S., Kim H., Kim J.K., Hwang N.M., Kim H., Kim J.K., Park Y.J., Seoul National University, KR

High quality microcrystalline silicon thin film grown by Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition(HWCVD) and subsequently manufactured solar cells are presented. Intrinsic layer photoconductivity data is provided for one of the film quality measures, and the result [...]

Parallel Integrated Solar Cell Circuits for Split Solar Spectrum Light Source

Li Y., Shi F., Texas A&M University, US

Among the various solar energy application technologies, the photovoltaic technology is, in particular, the most desirable technology for large-scale applications due to the fact that the solar energy in optical form is directly transformed into [...]

Large area optimized thin film nano solar cells on metal sheets

Toivola M., Peltola T., Miettunen K., Halme J., Aitola K., Lund P.D., Helsinki University of Technology, FI

We have upscaled stainless steel based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) from small, 0.32 cm2 active area laboratory sized test cells to 6 cm x 6 cm large area ”minimodule”. This is a continuation to our [...]

Solar and PV Technologies

Surface plasmon polariton assisted organic solar cells

Kim C., Kim J., Lee J-Y, Peumans P., Kim C., Kim J., Duke University, US

A fundamental limitation of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells is due to the trade-off between light absorption and exciton diffusion. We show that light absorption in an OPV cell can be enhanced by replacing a conventional [...]

Advanced Low-Temperature Geothermal Technology

Thomas D., Trimodal Group, US

Trimodal has developed a revolutionary new highly efficient engine design which is our (LTPC) Engine-expander, which is a positive displacement, compounded, Organic Rankine Cycle expander operating on a binary system. The prime energy sources are [...]

A New Computational Model for Fluid-Structure Interaction Phenomena in Wind-Turbine Blades

Ponta F.L., Otero A.D., Lago L.I., Michigan Technological University, US

Limitations in the current blade technology constitute a technological barrier that needs to be broken in order to continue the improvement in wind-energy cost. Blade manufacturing is mostly based on composite laminates, which is labor-intensive [...]

Large Scale Integration of Wind Power Generation

Moura P.S., Almeida A.T., University of Coimbra, PT

The 2001/77/CE European Commission Directive sets the target of 22% and 39% of gross electricity generation from renewables for the Europe and Portugal by 2010. To satisfy this target, it is planned the installation of [...]

Sustainable Energy Opportunities with the Geothermal Continuum

Thorsteinsson H., Augustine C., Anderson B.J., Moore M.C., von Rohr P.R., Tester J.W., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US

The publication of “The Future of Geothermal Energy” in 2006, which resulted from a comprehensive assessment of US geothermal potential, brought renewed interest in Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS) worldwide. The magnitude and accessibility of the [...]

Overview of Developments and Applications of Thermoelectrics Integrated with MEMS

Takahashi M., Omron Silicon Valley, US

We are faced with many energy and environmental problems such as the running out of fossil fuels, rapid increase in energy consumption by emerging-economy countries, global warming, etc. Against such a background, development of advanced [...]