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Robo solar: Solaria hopes to economize by using equipment developed for the semiconductor industry, such as the robot shown here.
Solaria
Solaria will be competing with many other companies that have developed ways to use less silicon. Evergreen Solar, based in Marlboro, MA, discovered a lower-waste technique of processing silicon. A group at the Australian National University developed slices of silicon set on edge to collect light and produce electricity. Stellaris, based in Lowell, MA, has created a technology that, like Solaria's, uses low concentrations of light to reduce the amount of silicon needed.
Martha Symko-Davies, a senior research supervisor at the National Center for Photovoltaics at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO, says that Solaria's approach may have an advantage over another type of technology that uses mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight by as much as several hundred times. While high-concentration approaches are promising, Symko-Davies says, they require complex tracking systems to keep the devices pointed directly at the sun. These systems add costs and can break down over time. Solaria's approach does not require a tracking system.
To date, Solaria has raised $77 million to develop its technology, with the world's largest solar cell maker, Q-Cell, acting as a primary investor.
Solaria's long-term success still isn't assured, Buonassisi says. But he also says the company's technology "is an ingenious approach." Ultimately, he adds, "the greater the diversity of technologies that are out there, the better."
Skyline Solar, a new startup, is combining conventional technologies to lower solar-power costs.
A startup is selling cylindrical solar cells that can generate more power than conventional panels.
New materials for high-performance cells could make solar power affordable.
Sounds similar to the Sliver Cells invention. Sliver Cells use even less silicon, about 8x less or so, although the micro machining may be more expensive.
Ah yes, sorry I was too lazy to click through the link ;)
The commercial development around the Sliver Cell technology has been slow. What's wrong?
At 12:20 PM I see 11.35 milli watts from a 1 foot square silicon solar panel. It is facing south and perficly vertical on a cloudy day. I am testing it for Unicom to see if it is practacal to power equipment in this lat. I have seen and recorded 265.21 milli watts on a sunny day last week. The load is a deep cycle boat battery 750 amp. I would need better tech to power my home.
I installed a 4.4 kw system in may ,2002
my rebate in california was $4.50 per watt or $18,000 plus a $3000 credit on state taxes.
out of pocket was $15,000. my average monthly bill $100- $125 or roughly $1500 a year.so in 10 years its paid for. actually its less time ...tiered priceing up to 30 or 40 cents per kwh .plus rate increases,projected at 12 % in 2009 at sce.
also most new contracts will be renewables such as wind or sterling engine and the utility is allowed to recover some costs..more expensive than coal but clean.........as a result prices go up and I recover my costs at a faster rate,now I have free electricity in lets say 6 or 7 years.......
so forget about waiting..the rebate has changed now $2.90 in ca but in texas its $ 4.50...
now is the time............
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154 Comments
Old news .
I guess new stories about solar must be a bit thin on the ground , maybe something to do with there not being much sun around at this time of year .
Also isn't it amazing how much diversity of design is encouraged in the solar industry , but when it comes to wind power everyone is obsessed with horizontal axis turbines . What about vertical axis turbines , sure they have a lower thoeretical efficiency but they are still interesting and have their advantages . SRC Vertical of Russia have come up with some intersting new designs of vertical axis turbine .
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