This is a repost from one of our sister publications, Windermere Sun, below:
Perovskite solar cells (Attribution: Stanford ENERGY, video by Mark Shwartz, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/, Presented at: WindermereSun.com)
(Please click on red links & note magenta)
Back in 2015, I interviewed the Chief Technology Officer Dr. Christopher Case of Oxford PV during the InterSolar North America in San Francisco, CA. Dr. Case introduced me to a potentially game-changing solar technology, the perovskite solar cell technology, that holds much promise for lowering the cost and boosting the performance of solar power by increasing photovoltaic efficiency of any solar photovoltaic thin film material to 30+% in a perovskite tandem layer (which is more than the maximum efficiency achieved in traditional mono-and poly-crystalline silicon cells). In laboratories, perovskite cells are manufactured by spin-coating, spraying, or “painting” them onto a substrate (material that provides the surface for the chemicals to crystalize on). Perovskites are only about half a micron thick while silicon layer is roughly 200 microns. The main hurdle for perovskite is durability. Perovskites are very sensitive to oxygen, moisture, and heat, therefore, requiring heavy encapsulation to protect the cell, leading to increased cost and weight of solar cell. Oxford PV’s tandem cell conversion efficiency is 29.52%. More research and development and data are needed for testing its efficiency, stability, as well as increasing lifespan and replacing toxic materials with safer ones. Company such as Saule Technologies has some very interesting perovskite products in the works: 1. they have a perovskite photovoltaic glass ( a semi-transparent perovskite solar cell printed onto flexible foils and overlayed with layers of glass), making it a window that generates electricity. 2. Saule is also producing energy-harvesting sun-blinds that can block intense summer sunlight, and allowing sunlight to enter the building in mornings and evenings to provide natural light and passive heating. These blinds can be adjusted manually or automatically. 3. In May of 2021, Saule launched the world’s first industrial production line of perovskite solar panels in Poland. Jinko Solaris also working on rolling out perovskite technology. The perovskite solar cell could be the future of energy, in the video published on Sep. 14, 2021, “Perovskite Solar Cells Could Be the Future of Energy“, below:
Perovskite mineral was discovered over 150 years ago, but it’s only recently that scientists have been able to synthesize the properties of the material in laboratories using commonly available chemicals. And what they’re finding is that it can give a big boost to the performance of existing solar cell technology. This week we take at look at how it works, in the video published on Aug. 9, 2020, “Perovskite Solar Cells: Game changer?“, below:
In the video published on March 26, 2021, “Perovskite solar out-benches rivals-2021| perovskite solar cells shines a little brighter“, below:
Perovskite, a calcium titanium oxide mineral discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1839. This new old material is generating quite an explosive buzz because scientists have found, in recent years, that it is a great material to be used in solar absorption applications. It can be made simply and inexpensively by using common wet chemistry lab methods and low cost equipment instead of the expensive deposition equipment common in the semiconductor industry. To take a look at how this process is made cheap and accessible, I’m sharing the video below:
These solar (photovoltaic) cells are made in tandem (layer by layer) fashion on a specially coated glass support. In the video above:
the glass is coated with a dense layer of titanium dioxide, by robotic arm, to prevent electrical charge generated by sunlight from leaking out of the cell.
a less dense porous oxide layer covers the dense oxide layer (usually titanium dioxide, other oxides may also be used).
a simple high speed spin coater deposits this layer from solution and spreads this coating evenly across the device.
heating this glass/device in an oven conditions it for solar cell use.
prepare the Perovskite material (which absorbs in the broad range of solar spectrum) by combining 2 precursor materials: PbI2 (lead iodide) & CH6IN (methylammonium iodide)
drip the liquid phase mixture (from 5.) onto the oxide coated device (from 4.)
spin the resulting device in 6 to assure even coating
applying halide solution
heating the device resulting from 8 on a hot plate–>spontaneously crystallizes precursors in freshly deposited liquid
color changes also result from crystallization process resulting from 9.
Such tandem product has the advantage of being able to be introduced into existing infrastructure of current silicon module manufacturing process, boosting its efficiency. With added few steps toward the end of the production line, the coating (equivalent to second solar cell) takes advantage of the blue portion of the solar spectrum and may improve the solar cell efficiency by 20-25% above the underlying silicon. The fact that Perovskite-based solar cell technology is of earth abundant material also insures its availability and low cost. Its high absorption in solar spectrum enables it to have comparable characteristics to that of gallium arsenide. Its ability to change its sensitivity to different band gaps in solar spectrum allows it to make different architectures in tandem solar cells. It can truly be considered as the Custom Solar Absorber! In short term, Perovskite-based solar cell may boost the efficiency level of existing technology and in the long term. It may be a stand-alone technology with closer efficiency level to that of gallium arsenide but at a much lower cost. It may potentially be sprayed, ink-jet printed, dip-coated, etc. It is no wonder that Dr. Case commented, “the perovskite in solar application is the fastest increasing photovoltaic efficiency of any solar photovoltaic thin film material ever! In just a few years, it went from a lab efficiency of about 6% to well over 17%…the material is a very good solar absorber….bringing the material to 25% efficiency in a monolithic layer and 30%+ in a perovskite tandem layer….potentially the future replacement for silicon.” The perovskite thin-film solar cells, is currently being developed by Oxford PV (a spin-out from the University of Oxford in 2009-2010 to commercialize this technology, which has exclusively licensed the intellectual property developed by Professor Henry Snaith and his team of 20 scientists). Below, Professor Henry Snaith will embellish upon the development of this solar technology, in the video published on Jan. 10, 2014, “Perovskites: The Emergence of a New Era for Low-Cost, High-Efficiency Solar Cells“, below :
Henry J. Snaith is Professor of Physics in the Clarendon Laboratory at the University of Oxford and Fellow of the Royal Society. He has pioneered the field of perovskite solar cells and published hundreds of papers. He is founder and CSO of Oxford PV, which holds the largest perovskite patent portfolio worldwide and focuses on developing and commercializing perovskite PV technology. In this interview, he discusses the present status and future prospects of perovskite PV, in the video published on Nov. 11, 2018, “The Path to Perovskite on Silicon PV | Prof. Henry Snaith“, below:
Oxford PVplans on continuing to optimize this technology’s cell efficiency and accelerate the transfer of the technology into production. Furthermore, it aims to develop the range of substrates to which the cells can be applied. With its promising future, we, the solar enthusiasts and investors alike, should keep our eyes on Oxford PV in the coming years. In the next few years, we anticipate that Dr. Henry Snaith and his team of scientists will continue to tackle challenges in trap densities, doping densities, mobility, mechanisms for free carrier generations, etc., to further improve device performance. You will find that many in the solar industry share the optimism of Professor Henry Snaith and Dr. Christopher Case. In the video published on June 9, 2021, “Henry Snaith – The advent of Perovskite solar cells“, below: For those of you interested in more details about Perovskite-based solar cell technology, please refer to the two videos below:
1. Introducing Perovskite Solar Cells to Undergraduates:
2. In the video published on Nov. 17, 2017, “Everything you ever wanted to know about perovskite“, below:
Keep in mind that Shockley-Queisser limit applies to silicon solar cell and not to perovskite solar cell. The Shockley-Queisser limit is calculated by examining the amount of electrical energy that is extracted per photon of incoming sunlight.For better understanding of Shockley-Queisser limit, please refer to the excerpt from wikipedia, in italics, below:In a traditional solid-statesemiconductorsuch as silicon, a solar cell is made from two doped crystals, one an n-type semiconductor, which has extra free electrons, and the other a p-type semiconductor, which is lacking free electrons, referred to as “holes.” When initially placed in contact with each other, some of the electrons in the n-type portion will flow into the p-type to “fill in” the missing electrons. Eventually enough will flow across the boundary to equalize the Fermi levels of the two materials. The result is a region at the interface, thep-n junction, where charge carriers are depleted on each side of the interface. In silicon, this transfer of electrons produces a potential barrier of about 0.6 V to 0.7 V.[6]When the material is placed in the sun, photons from the sunlight can be absorbed in the p-type side of the semiconductor, causing electrons in the valence band to be promoted in energy to the conduction band. This process is known asphotoexcitation. As the name implies, electrons in the conduction band are free to move about the semiconductor. When a load is placed across the cell as a whole, these electrons will flow from the p-type side into the n-type side, lose energy while moving through the external circuit, and then go back into the p-type material where they can re-combine with the valence-band holes they left behind. In this way, sunlight creates an electric current.[6]In physics, the Shockley–Queisser limit (also known as the detailed balance limit, Shockley Queisser Efficiency Limit or SQ Limit, or in physical terms the radiative efficiency limit) is the maximum theoretical efficiency of a solar cell using a single p-n junction to collect power from the cell where the only loss mechanism is radiative recombination in the solar cell. It was first calculated by William Shockley and Hans-Joachim Queisser at Shockley Semiconductor in 1961, giving a maximum efficiency of 30% at 1.1 eV.[1] This first calculation used the 6000K black-body spectrum as an approximation to the solar spectrum. Subsequent calculations have used measured global solar spectra (AM1.5G) and included a back surface mirror which increases the maximum efficiency to 33.7% for a solar cell with a bandgap of 1.34 eV.[2] The limit is one of the most fundamental to solar energy production with photovoltaic cells, and is considered to be one of the most important contributions in the field.[3]The limit is that the maximumsolar conversion efficiency is around 33.7% for a single p-n junction photovoltaic cell, assuming typical sunlight conditions (unconcentrated, AM 1.5 solar spectrum), and subject to other caveats and assumptions discussed below. This maximum occurs at a band gap of 1.34 eV.[2] That is, of all the power contained in sunlight (about 1000 W/m2) falling on an ideal solar cell, only 33.7% of that could ever be turned into electricity (337 W/m2). The most popular solar cell material, silicon, has a less favorable band gap of 1.1 eV, resulting in a maximum efficiency of about 32%. Modern commercial mono-crystalline solar cells produce about 24% conversion efficiency, the losses due largely to practical concerns like reflection off the front of the cell and light blockage from the thin wires on the cell surface.The Shockley–Queisser limit only applies to conventional solar cells with a single p-n junction; solar cells with multiple layers can (and do) outperform this limit, and so can solar thermal and certain other solar energy systems. In the extreme limit, for a multi-junction solar cell with an infinite number of layers, the corresponding limit is 68.7% for normal sunlight,[4]or 86.8% using concentrated sunlight.[5] (See Solar cell efficiency.) Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker More about the community at www.WindermereSun.com
After much careful consideration, I’ve decided to still post this piece on “Please Support These Solar Car Teams“. I want to clarify that these teams come from cultural backgrounds that do not complain much nor easily request for assistance from others. Therefore, none of the teams nor their team leaders had asked me to post this piece. It is based on other sources and my personal observations that had brought me to the conclusion. I would also like to remind every one that the goal of these challenges, whether it be World Solar Challenges, American Solar Challenges, Abu Dhabi Solar Challenges, SaSol Solar Challenges of South Africa, the purpose is to stimulate learning opportunities, exchange ideas to stimulate the growth of Solar Energy, and help our future generations to transition into solar energy quickly. In order to help our planet to transition into a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable place to live in, we need to help all continents and countries to transition into EV (Electric Vehicle) and Solar Energy Age. So, I am taking this opportunity to shout out to electric vehicle companies such as Tesla Motors, Nissan, BYD, Ford, General Motors, etc. to ask for assistance for these teams in whichever way possible.
First: the two new solar cars from South Africa- Sirius X25 of North West University and Hulamin-iKlwa of University of Qwa Zulu Natal are the first and only two entrants from Africa. Both of these two teams are on very tight budget. They represent our hope for the solar future in the African continent, a place with much future growth potential.
WSC2015-Sirius X25 of North West University from South Africa (credit: sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker)
WSC2015-Hulamin-iKlwa of University of Qwa Zulu Natal from South Africa (credit: sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker)
Second: first entrant from China-Sun Shuttle of Beijing Institute of Technology entered for the second time. Contrary to what some other bloggers presumed, Sun Shuttle hardly had any support this time. It’s amazing that they actually made it to WSC2015! For the good of the planet, it is critical for the Chinese to transition into EV (electric vehicle) and Solar EV future, because China is inhabited by one fifth of the earth’s population. A cleaner China will translate into a cleaner planet earth!
WSC2015-Sun Shuttle from Beijing Institute of Technology of China, with Professor Zhang You-tong (with sunglasses) and students (credit: sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker)
Third: Aurora of Aurora Vehicle Association has entered every World Solar Challenge since 1987 until this year (2015). Apparently Aurora’s loss of its garage workspace further led to dramatic decrease in membership of the organization. It would be a pity not to see Aurora of Aurora Vehicle Association, the most competitive entrant of our hosting country Australia, in the future. It would feel as though part of the tradition of World Solar Challenge has been lost.
WSC2015-Aurora of Aurora Solar Vehicle Association with its loyal member and Chairman Martin Brook (email: martin.brook@aurorasolarcar.com)(credit: sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker)
I hope all electric vehicle companies, solar enthusiasts, car enthusiasts, or simply any one who is interested in protecting our planet from pollution and accelerated climate change would reach out to these universities and organizations mentioned above, to show interest in helping these solar car teams.
More posts about World Solar Challenge 2015 will be coming.
As I’ve previously mentioned in an earlier post: If any solar car team needs to have a fund raising campaign, Sun Is The Future would be gladly help in letting the world know about your fund raising campaign. But it is crucial that individual solar car team would set up their own campaign and provide their own web site with appropriate contact information before contacting Sun Is The Future at sunisthefuture@gmail.com . Sun Is The Future will help to promote campaigns but would not be involved with the collection of donations.
You may also be interested in these posts from the past, below:
It’s a beautiful sunny day (Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015) for all the Solar Cars to head toward Adelaide, Australia. While the red carpet is being set up for these winners,
Red Carpet awaits for all the Solar Cars of World Solar Challenge 2015 (credit: sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker)
After having covered the World Solar Challenge for the third time/sixth year, I have to declare that the Dutch (from Netherlands) really know how to party and race solar cars! Not only are the first two places being occupied by the Dutch, Nuon Solar Team is coming in first this year and last time (2013).Their enthusiasm is infectious. Their energy level is uplifting. For centuries, the Dutch have had to deal with much of their endowed geographic position below the sea level. Such rigorous trials and tribulations may have contributed to their engineering prowess reflected in their design for solar cars. So goes the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” This year one person, Professor Wubbo Ockels, from the Nuon Solar Team, is conspicuously missing. After talking to the team members, I found out that Professor Ockels passed away in 2014. Professor Ockels, we hope that you are enjoying World Solar Challenge 2015 from up there, cheering and laughing with all of us. In his memory, I’d like to invite you all to view this post and visit www.happyenergy.com .
Tokai University and University of Michigan have been perennial top finishers for many years. Stanford University’s Stanford Solar Car Project, Punch Powertrain Solar Team, and GAMF Hungary have all made great strides. These teams have given much hope for all of those who participate in World Solar Challenge. As the world of solar energy technology continues to evolve, much remains to be seen for future races. For example, perovskite-based solar technology may bring huge gains to solar cells in the future. If interested, please refer to these links below for more on perovskite-based solar technology:
I attended PV Taiwan 2015 in Taipei World Trade Center-Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan, because of a previous promise. In my book of life, it is important to keep one’s words or promises.
The event organizer was very astute in combining PV Taiwan-TIGIS-Laser Taiwan 2015 into one conference/exhibition event because there is much cross-over among these three industries. 2015 PV (Photovoltaics) Taiwan & 2015 TIGIS (Taiwan International Green Industry Show) open concurrently for the first time at Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall, creating the most comprehensive and complete platform for Green Energy Industry in Taiwan. The event lasted between Oct. 14-16, 2015.
As I got close to the exhibition center on Oct. 14, 2015, I realized that there would be some serious VIP attending this event because the building was surrounded by security guards. As it turned out, the VIP is the President of Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou.
The 12th/13th President of Taiwan or R.O.C. (Republic of China), Yingjeou Ma.(credit: jamiweb)
Not only did President Ma give an encouraging opening address, he also took a quick tour of the exhibit with his entourage, caught in this video above (at 4:53 mark of the video). It is clear that President Ma appreciates the relevance of solar/renewable industry at this juncture of human history. He understands that we human kind needs to get into the clean, renewable, and solar energy. His attendance was truly a morale boost for all of those in solar industry and in attendance.
This is a very well organized event where media/press are treated well. The main difference between PV Taiwan and SPI or Intersolar is that PV Taiwan has greater emphasis in manufacturing components (such as material and equipments) whereas SPI or Intersolar tends to emphasize more on finished product. It is apparent that a lot of Taiwanese and Chinese solar businesses are in collaboration with other European companies (such as German companies). I believe Taiwanese business people, as a group, is extremely versatile and collaborative. They also understand the importance of education and research for solar industry’s future. It is an event worth attending for all solar businesses that want to connect with others from different parts of the world.
Taipei, Taiwan, has presented itself as a world class city, where order, cleanliness, and smart planning and designs may be found every where. Taiwan is truly a beautiful place, a wonderful island where services are the tops, best (cleanest and easiest to navigate) mass transport (MRT), and people are extremely friendly! Taipei, Taiwan, is a city where one doesn’t need to speak/know Chinese/Mandarin and still be able to get around the city because all signs and metro announcements are in both English and Chinese. It is truly an international city. To take a look at this lovable city, check out these videos below:
Any questions, comments, and concerns may be directed to: sunisthefuture@gmail.com
More videos regarding PV Taiwan 2015 will be uploaded later.
~have a bright and sunny day~
gathered, photographed, video-recorded, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any comments and suggestions are welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
The Swiss Solar Impulse 2 (solar airplane) and French solar rooftops have inspired me to look toward other forms of transport and surface areas to be powered by or used to generate solar energy. It’s fantastic that there had been quite a few interesting progress made in the area of trains. Case in point, the high speed train powered by solar energy, in the video below, was in service back in 2011 in Belgium:
The rail line between Antwerp and Amsterdam(about 80 miles) in Belgium was the first solar paneled train tunnel (about 2.2 mile long tunnel) in Europe that utilized 16,000 solar panels (costed $22 million for installation) to power the railway infrastructure and trains back in June (started on June 14), of 2011, bringing clean energy to trains. This Solar Tunnel project is expected to generate 3.3 megawatts of energy (equivalent of the average annual electricity consumption for 4,000 trains or about 1,000 homes). The project partner Enfinity also indicated that the tunnel is decreasing CO2 emissions by 2,400 tons annually. “It is the perfect way to cut the carbon footprint because the spaces used have no other economic value,” commented by Bart Van Renterghem, Enfinity former UK head. Other collaborators on this project were Belgium rail operator Infrabel and solar construction company Solar Power Systems. This was a fantastic clean energy project because it is optimizing the previously idled space and once the installation is in place, there is to be no consumption of fuel or coal and at no cost to our environment.
About 4461 miles (or 7179 km) away, India is planning to massively utilize the solar energy via its state-owned railway systems. With one of the largest railway networks in the world, running about 12,000 trains, 23 million passengers (practically the entire Australian population), and 3 million tonnes of freight daily, much energy is needed. In 2012, the Indian Railways consumed nearly 3 million kiloliters of diesel oil and about14 billion kWh of electricity . So, India’s railway minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu wants to control such a ballooning fuel bill by shifting toward alternative energy sources. Since the Indian Railway System is aiming to have at least 10% of its total energy consumption coming from renewable energy by 2020, the railway minister wants to incorporate more alternative energy sources to power trains. This is first done by solar powered lighting via solar panels mounted on the roofs of the trains. This is now being tested on a non-AC coach on the Rewari–Sitapurpassenger train.
Indian Solar Train photographed by Anil Kumar Chhatri or credit citymetric.com
The cost of installing panels on each coach is about Rs3.9 lakh (about $6,084), translating into savings of Rs1.24 lakh (about $1,934) per year, According to The Economic Times of India Times. In the next few weeks, the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and the railway coach maker Integral Coach Factory will be testing the solar paneled coach under a variety of conditions. Besides the solar powered coach, the Indian Railways will also be building solar power plants of about 8.8 MW (megawatts) in 200 train stations and some of its office buildings.
Without the common vision and collaborations from policy makers, such ambitious projects would not have existed. In India, it took the echoing support between India’s prime minister Narendra Modiand railway minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu to enable such a solar project to become a reality. Prime Minister Modi encouraged alternative energy projects by encouraging solar companies from around the world to invest $100 billion to reach its solar power capacity target of 100,000 MWby 2022 (about five times India’s current solar power generation capacity). He was also instrumental behind another ambitious project, World’s First Canal Solar Power Plant in India, in Gujarat, in one of our previous post.
I hope all policy makers and governing bodies will receive the support he/she/they/it need(s) during this critical transitional period in human history, onward and forward toward the renewable/solar energy future! For deep down, within all of our hearts, we know that Solar/Renewable/Clean Energy is the solution/answer to Energy-Pollution-Economic Prosperity-International Conflicts. The sooner we get there, the better it will be for us and our posterity. In our system of democracy, perhaps all of us may be able to help play a part in assisting our policy makers in arriving at the correct decisions or policies quickly.
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any comments and suggestions are welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
Sun Through Cloud (credit: sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker)
(Please click on red links & note magenta)
In an earlier post about a recently released book, The Great Transition (by Lester Brown, Janet Larsen, Matt Roney, and Emily Adams), there are seven realities some may find surprising, behind the global transition (to clean, renewable energy away from nuclear and fossils). These facts are listed below and certainly worth more in-depth attention:
The Great Transition by Lester Brown and co-authors Janet Larsen, J. Matthew Roney, and Emily E. Adams
Global adoption of solar appears unstoppable now that solar is so cheap.
Wind power adoption is rapidly altering energy portfolios around the world.
National and subnational energy policies are promoting renewables, and many geographies are considering a price on carbon.
The financial sector is embracing renewables-and starting to turn against fossils and nuclear.
Coal use is in decline in the United States and will likely fall at the global level far sooner than once thought possible.
Transportation will move away from oil as electric vehicle fleets expand rapidly and bike- and car-sharing spreads.
Nuclear is on the rocks thanks to rising costs and widespread safety concerns.
For more detailed facts and figures, (<–click, please ). Lester Brown and his co-authors have carefully gathered and analyzed the data from the past and provided us a glimpse of what our future has in store. Finally, the inertia from the past is unearthed and we can see the dark curtain is being lifted from the horizon. Our glorious Renewable and Solar/Wind Future has finally arrived! The Dawn Is Here!
I would also like to invite you to view the video below, to listen to Lestser Brown’s urging for us to mobilize to save our civilization and be further informed of various data and information availed to us based on the careful gathering and analyzing of data by Lester Brown and his co-authors.
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
~have a bright and sunny day~
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics: www.sunisthefuture.net
The Great Transition by Lester Brown and co-authors Janet Larsen, J. Matthew Roney, and Emily E. Adams
(Please click on red links & note magenta)
Do you feel the change in the air? We truly are living in an exciting time! Every where I turn, I see the sign of change and transition, including an email that I’ve received few days ago from Earth Policy Institute, about the arrival of a new publication. This is a recently released book titled, The Great Transition, by Lester Brown with co-authors Janet Larsen, J. Matthew Roney, and Emily E. Adams. It is a summary presentation for the worldwide transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy, Solar and Wind Energy. It lays out the rapidly evolving global shift toward cleaner sources of energy, driven by economics, policy, and the reality of accelerating climate change. The authors stress the fact that this shift represents a lasting change in the way we power our world in centuries to come.
As fossil fuel resources shrink, as air pollution worsens, and as concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, oil, and natural gas, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled largely by coal and oil, is being replaced with one powered by solar and wind energy.
TheGreatTransition details this trend, focusing on falling prices and rising adoption for wind, solar, electric vehicles, geothermal energy, and energy efficiency; and the emerging turn from coal, nuclear power, oil, and traditional transportation that is happening faster than anticipated.
Yes, as seen in some of our previous posts, the change will always be faster than many have previously anticipated.
The authors of The Great Transition have also kindly provided us with slides to be shared among people who are interested in the course of energy in human history. They have also helped to shatter some of the old myths popularized by detractors of Renewable Energy in this book. It’s a great read for those who want to have a better understanding of how our world have and will continue to transition from fossil fuels into Renewable Energy Age. Educators and policy makers from different locations are encouraged to utilize this well synthesized information to mobilize or fix our energy system.
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
~have a bright and sunny day~
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics: www.sunisthefuture.net
Thanks to President Obama for visiting Everglades of Florida on Earth Day and bringing attention to the importance of action in slowing the climate change in order to preserve our beautiful Everglades for future generations.
Did you know that many are celebrating April 22 as the Earth Day each year? Earth Day aims to inspire the awareness of and appreciation for earth’s environment. It is usually celebrated with outdoor performances such that individuals or groups perform acts of service to earth. Some simple acts you may want to consider participating in: planting trees, picking up roadside trash, becoming involved in recycling and conservation. Here at Sun Is The Future, since our mission is to spread the Sunshine to all parts of the planet earth by information/education via www.sunisthefuture.net, www.youtube.com/user/sunisthefuture, www.pinterest.com/sunisthefuture , www.facebook.com/sunisthefuture, https://plus.google.com/+SunisthefutureNet , micro-finance (to help entrepreneurs in different parts of the planet to establish small businesses in solar/renewable energy/energy efficiency/recycling via www.kiva.org/team/sunisthefuture, and online Sunshine Store at www.sunisthefuture.com . For we, the Solar Enthusiasts, believe that Solar Energy is the solution to: Energy-Pollution-Climate Change-International Conflicts. So, let’s add one more act of service to your Earth Day celebration: Share the Sun Is The Future with our fellow Earthlings, for we want and need to transition globally into the Solar/ Renewable Energy Age as quickly as possible. So please visit www.sunisthefuture.net and :
If you’re not a Florida resident, then think of ways to encourage more effective solar/renewable energy policy for your state. This web site has information for incentives for renewable energy & energy efficiency in all 50 states in USA.
If you’re not a USA resident, then think of ways to encourage more effective solar/renewable energy policy for your community/province/county.
There’s much we all need to do/act. Below, please allow me to share this video:
Ask yourself what it is that you can do to help increase the healthy longevity of our beautiful planet earth, below.
I just found out that today is actually also the 10th birthday of Youtube! To celebrate the existence of Youtube, allow me to share the VERY First Video that was uploaded on Youtube:
THANK YOU & HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YOUTUBE!!!
Thanks to Youtube for enabling Sun Is The Future to be able to share much with our readers/viewers from over 186 countries (our sister publication Windermere Sun in more than 81 countries). We are eternally grateful for our connection to Youtube.
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
~have a bright and sunny day~
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics: www.sunisthefuture.net
Please click on Formula Sun 2015 Regulations to review details of the 44-page Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) 2015 Regulations.
The Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) is hosted by the Innovators Educational Foundation. It promotes and celebrates educational excellence and engineering creativity. Fueled by the spirit of friendly competition and teamwork, the FSGP event champions the creative integration of technical and scientific expertise across a range of exciting disciplines (such as engineering, mathematics, sciences, businesses, in multi-disciplined experiential learning and in subsequent careers.) The Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) is an annual track race that is held on grand prix or road style closed courses. This unique style of solar car racing is open to teams from universities and colleges around the world and truly tests the limits of the vehicles in handling curves, braking, and acceleration.
On years when the American Solar Challenge (ASC) is held, FSGP serves as the qualifier race for this competition. Teams must successfully complete FSGP to prove their vehicles before they are allowed to start the cross-country ASC journey. Below, you will see videos (filmed by Michael Nunamaker, interviewed, edited, and uploaded by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker) of some of the solar cars and students that had participated during the ASC (Americal Solar Challenge) 2012:
The racing strategy applied during the three day FSGP track event is different than the cross-country ASC event. Driver training, passing strategy, and quick pit stops are crucial for teams racing in FSGP. It’s also essential to have a diligent team member in the timing booth and follow all of the rules of the track to ensure all laps get counted.
The winner of FSGP is determined by the total number of laps completed over the three days of racing. The team that completes the fastest single lap around the track is also recognized in the awards ceremony. If your university is interested in entering the next FSGP competition, please visit the Formula Sun 2015 Regulations of the event.
Please keep in mind that the Registration Deadlines is on p.7 of the Formula Sun Regulations. We will keep you posted of its location and date of the actual race in future post:
Initial registration package is due: March 1, 2015
Technical Documents are due: April 1, 2015
Track registration package is due: April 1, 2015
A special note for Innovators Educational Foundation: It is a 501(c)(3) organization that is supported with 100% volunteers from all across the United States. These volunteers gave/give their time freely, understanding the importance of education and the impact that real experiences have in a learning environment. For information on how you and your organization can support their effort, please visit their sponsorship page.
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your questions/comments/suggestions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
KIUC (Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative)'s 12 MW solar panels on the day of the dedication, Sep. 25, 2014
(Please click on red links and note magenta)
It is with tremendous awe and admiration that Sun Is The Future team took the trip and video recorded the Koloa Solar Dedication ceremony at Kauai, HI, on September 25, 2014. We found out that by Jan. of 2015, 80% of the peak daytime power demand at Kaua’i will be met by solar energy and 22% of the daily average will be met by renewable energy. KIUC (Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative) is definitely leading the way on planet earth in our transition toward Renewable Energy Age! This is especially impressive given the fact that Hawaii is the most fossil fuel dependent state in USA. Realizing that 50% of its total economy comes from tourism and military and the finite nature of fossil fuel, Hawaii actively tries to relieve its dependence from oil so to be less vulnerable to the fluctuation in oil prices and availability. This is mainly accomplished through various goals and roadmaps set by Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.
KIUC Team, beaming with pride, of their 12 MW installations
KIUC Communication Manager Jim Kelly (L) & Kumu Sabra Kauka (R) for dedication & blessing
Founder/Editor of Sun Is The Future, Susan Sun Nunamaker, signing solar panel at the KIUC dedication
KIUC Power Supply Manager Brad Rockwell (R) & Sun Is The Future Technical Analyst Michael Nunamaker (L) at the dedication ceremony
During the dedication ceremony, Allan A. Smith (Chairman of the Board of KIUC) welcomed every one. Then remarks were made by:David Bissell (President and CEO of KIUC), Tulsi Gabbard (U.S. House of Representatives), Bernard Carvalho Jr. (Mayor of County of Kaua’i), Hermina Morita (Chair of Hawai’i Public Utility Commission), Sheldon Petersen (CEO of National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation), Peter Rive (Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of SolarCity), Mike Gabbard (Hawai’i State Senate), Wanda Kau-Shibata (Kaua’i Representative), and Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Dedication and blessing was made by Kuma Sabra Kauka. It is easy to see the love, respect, care, and reverence the people of Kaua’l have for their land, resources, and energy.
This 12 MW, $40 million solar array project is the largest solar array in HI. Contractor is Solar City and Landowner is Grove Farm. It contains 45,360 panels and started in Nov., 2013. The project will displace 1.7 million gallons of oil annually, eliminate 35,000 tons of emissions annually, and will generate enough energy to power 4,000 homes. It is a key part of KIUC’s strategy to use renewable resources to generate at least 50% of the island’s energy by 2023. KIUC is also making sure that there is a diverse portfolio of renewable energy, utilizing not just the solar power, but also wind- , biomass, and hydro- power.
It is wonderful to see Senator Mike Gabbard’s of Hawaii (Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy & Environment Committee for the past six years)’s excitement for this solar installation. It is understandable how Kaua’i and state of HI are able to arrive at the Solar Heaven ahead of all other states, surpassing its Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative of 2008 (goal of achieving 70% clean energy by 2030 with 30% from efficiency measures and 40% coming from locally generated renewable sources). But currently HI is at 18% renewable energy state-wide (the first bench mark for 2015 had a goal of 15% renewable energy). Of the 18% renewable energy: on the Big Island, 48.1% from renewables; on Maui, 29.1%; Kaua’i, 18.8%; Ouaha, 11.7%.
Yes, HI is going strong with solar and other renewable energies not only because Hawaiians or residents of Kaua’i are blessed with sunshine but because of their utility such as KIUC is continually looking for ways to collaborate and encourage their state legislators to move toward Renewable Energy. Most importantly, Kaua’i is blessed with island residents who aim to live in harmony and spirit of conservation with Mother Nature. Thumb up for KIUC! Hip! Hip! Hurray for Kaua’i and KIUC! We hope all other states in USA will look toward KIUC for their shining example during our earthly transition toward a Renewable and Clean Energy Future.
~have a bright and sunny day~
gathered, posted, and uploaded by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker and filmed by Michael Nunamaker
