Nanosolar announces the shipping of their first solar panels. Martin Roscheisen, CEO of Nanosolar issued a press release on December 18th announcing the first shipment of the company’s innovative thin film solar panels
Five years have elapsed from the start of Nanosolar to its first shipment. The innovative printing press manufacturing style pioneered by the company promises to set the standard for affordable photovoltaic solar energy. Roscheisen estimates prices as low as $0.99 per watt for its product.
This is a big day for solar power fans. The long awaited word from Nanosolar, Inc. signals the true start of affordable solar power production. With a 25 year warrantee, the cost of the electricity produced could be on a par with current utility cost per kilowatt hour. A remarkable achievement for Nanosolar.
Mr. Roscheisen, also announced his plans for the first three commercially produced panels. The first will be displayed at the company’s California headquarters. The second is being auctioned on eBay with proceeds going to charity. The third will be donated to the Tech Museum in San Jose, California.
The first shipment of Nanosolar Utility Panels™ will be used for a one Megawatt municipal power project in Eastern Germany.
“This is the first time that a solar electricity cell and panel has been designed entirely and specifically for utility-scale power generation," said Martin Roscheisen, CEO of Nanosolar. "It will set the standard for green power generation at utility scale." See press release for full story
SolarPly™, flexible thin film panels are also now available. The light weight SolarPly™panels are stated to have solderless power connections. These panels can be trimmed to any size greatly increasing potential applications.
Nanosolar, Inc. is privately held with manufacturing facilities in San Jose, California and near Berlin, Germany. Product technical information is limited to qualified volume customers. Products currently available are the Nanosaolar Utility Panel™ and SolarPly™. Visit Nanosolar.com for more information.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
NASA Makes Error - 1934 Warmest Year
I haven't posted in a while because nothing exceptional has developed in the past couple of months. Since alternate energy is being driven in a large part by global warming, this subject is interesting.
Steve McIntyre is a GW skeptic that noted some time ago that the GISS temperature average for the United States had an odd jump in the year 2000. McIntyre and company made several attempts to obtain information on the methodology used by GISS to locate the cause of the spike. With little assistance from GISS, McIntyre reconstructed the temperature averages noting that equipment changes made in Y2K were incorrectly compensated.
The result is that there was an approximate 0.2 degree C bias for the 2000 on data. GISS recognized the error and is making corrections. While the correction will have little impact on global temperature averages, there may be a ripple effect as other measurement methods adjusted to US temperature average may require fine tuning.
While this in no way indicates that anthropogenic global warming is not significant, it may well indicate that more pragmatic implementation of alternate energy is in order. That is a good thing as cutting edge technologies are on the not too distant horizon.
Nanosolar may be one of the key cutting edge manufacturers. Unfortunately, the progress Nanosolar is making is not well publicized. This is a bit disconcerting as any good corporate news is happily released by most companies. With no news one can only guess that terminal connections to their thin film solar panels is posing a problem. Hopefully, they will resolve any difficulties and start releasing product in the next year.
Cheap renewable electricity is key to developing our hydrogen economy. Also a key component is Fuel Cell performance and cost. This area is showing much more promise. Initial production FCV's should be on the market in 2008 though 2010 is more likely for the production of reliable long range vehicles.
This is not only important for travel, but for clean hydrogen production. High efficiency, affordable fuel cells coupled with reasonably priced renewable electricity go a long way to reduce hydrogen infrastructure requirements. While not an overly efficient method of hydrogen production, solar power at a cost average of eight to ten cents per KWH can make on site hydrogen production via reversed fuel cell operation relatively economical.
Another technology update is Green Fuel. While still in the R&D phase has added a few new test plants in Louisiana, Kansas and South Africa. The Arizona test plant performance appears successful, but full scale implementation is still years in the future. In addition to producing bio-fuels and CO2 scrubbing at power plants, the algae farming can be used to clean up hydrogen production from natural gas processing.
Capt. Dallas
Steve McIntyre is a GW skeptic that noted some time ago that the GISS temperature average for the United States had an odd jump in the year 2000. McIntyre and company made several attempts to obtain information on the methodology used by GISS to locate the cause of the spike. With little assistance from GISS, McIntyre reconstructed the temperature averages noting that equipment changes made in Y2K were incorrectly compensated.
The result is that there was an approximate 0.2 degree C bias for the 2000 on data. GISS recognized the error and is making corrections. While the correction will have little impact on global temperature averages, there may be a ripple effect as other measurement methods adjusted to US temperature average may require fine tuning.
While this in no way indicates that anthropogenic global warming is not significant, it may well indicate that more pragmatic implementation of alternate energy is in order. That is a good thing as cutting edge technologies are on the not too distant horizon.
Nanosolar may be one of the key cutting edge manufacturers. Unfortunately, the progress Nanosolar is making is not well publicized. This is a bit disconcerting as any good corporate news is happily released by most companies. With no news one can only guess that terminal connections to their thin film solar panels is posing a problem. Hopefully, they will resolve any difficulties and start releasing product in the next year.
Cheap renewable electricity is key to developing our hydrogen economy. Also a key component is Fuel Cell performance and cost. This area is showing much more promise. Initial production FCV's should be on the market in 2008 though 2010 is more likely for the production of reliable long range vehicles.
This is not only important for travel, but for clean hydrogen production. High efficiency, affordable fuel cells coupled with reasonably priced renewable electricity go a long way to reduce hydrogen infrastructure requirements. While not an overly efficient method of hydrogen production, solar power at a cost average of eight to ten cents per KWH can make on site hydrogen production via reversed fuel cell operation relatively economical.
Another technology update is Green Fuel. While still in the R&D phase has added a few new test plants in Louisiana, Kansas and South Africa. The Arizona test plant performance appears successful, but full scale implementation is still years in the future. In addition to producing bio-fuels and CO2 scrubbing at power plants, the algae farming can be used to clean up hydrogen production from natural gas processing.
Capt. Dallas
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The Politics of Global Warming
The Vikings settled Greenland in around 1000 AD. They had a colony on Greenland until around 1500 AD. That is the basic history, so why is it so hard to determine why this period in Viking history was so prolific? Because the medieval warming period that stimulated the Viking's rise in prominence is no longer politically correct.
The medieval warming period is a time from approximately 950 AD to 1450 AD where temperatures in the northern hemisphere were notably warmer. Warmer as in the temperatures we are experiencing now. This period was followed by another period called the little ice age where temperatures fell for a few centuries, ending in the early 1800's.
Prior to 1998-ish, there was debate over the medieval warming period and the little ice age, but not out right war in the scientific community. Now there is war! Any argument that there were milder climate conditions between 950 and 1450 AD fires up a huge debate with near political mudslinging in the climatologic community. Then remember, the louder people protest, the higher the probability of a real news story.
Digging a little deeper, one may find that most scientific proxy data that supports the existence of the medieval warming period is missing from recent climatologic reports. The recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) dismissed all evidence of the medieval warming period. Research by Dr. Lloyd Keigwin with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) published in 1996, implied that the medieval warming period not only happened, but also had global impact.
Dr. Keigwin's research was published in the peer reviewed journal Oceanus, a WHOI publication and funded by the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration Climate Change Program. The research he made should have been included or at least mentioned in the IPCC report on climate change.
Other allegations by climate scientists are being made. One that I find particularly interesting is that heat island effect and other influences, are not considered on the individual weather stations used in determining average temperatures. The heat island effect is where local temperatures are higher due to reduced solar reflectivity. Walk barefoot on a black tar road and you will experience part of the heat island effect. This effect can cause temperatures in municipalities to be ten degrees above the ambient temperature.
While very few scientists dispute that some manmade climate change is occurring, the rate and impact are hot topics. So hot that some standard peer reviewers are not included. This is not a good thing, picking and chosing peer reviewers is too political to be good science practise.
The medieval warming period is a time from approximately 950 AD to 1450 AD where temperatures in the northern hemisphere were notably warmer. Warmer as in the temperatures we are experiencing now. This period was followed by another period called the little ice age where temperatures fell for a few centuries, ending in the early 1800's.
Prior to 1998-ish, there was debate over the medieval warming period and the little ice age, but not out right war in the scientific community. Now there is war! Any argument that there were milder climate conditions between 950 and 1450 AD fires up a huge debate with near political mudslinging in the climatologic community. Then remember, the louder people protest, the higher the probability of a real news story.
Digging a little deeper, one may find that most scientific proxy data that supports the existence of the medieval warming period is missing from recent climatologic reports. The recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) dismissed all evidence of the medieval warming period. Research by Dr. Lloyd Keigwin with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) published in 1996, implied that the medieval warming period not only happened, but also had global impact.
Dr. Keigwin's research was published in the peer reviewed journal Oceanus, a WHOI publication and funded by the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration Climate Change Program. The research he made should have been included or at least mentioned in the IPCC report on climate change.
Other allegations by climate scientists are being made. One that I find particularly interesting is that heat island effect and other influences, are not considered on the individual weather stations used in determining average temperatures. The heat island effect is where local temperatures are higher due to reduced solar reflectivity. Walk barefoot on a black tar road and you will experience part of the heat island effect. This effect can cause temperatures in municipalities to be ten degrees above the ambient temperature.
While very few scientists dispute that some manmade climate change is occurring, the rate and impact are hot topics. So hot that some standard peer reviewers are not included. This is not a good thing, picking and chosing peer reviewers is too political to be good science practise.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Is Global Warming Good or Bad?
Forums dealing with global warming and alternate energy issues are filled with wildly differing points of view. One forum thread asked if global warming is a good or bad. That is an interesting question.
With sea level rise predicted at 0.5 cm per year in the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) fourth report, mitigation is recommended to reduce sea level rise. Mitigation of sea level rise includes, storm water runoff retention, wet lands restoration, forestry water shed expansion and water conservation.
Storm water runoff is being addressed due to pollution of estuaries in many parts of the world. Real estate developers are required to build retention ponds/lakes in many areas as a part of their projects. These ponds are often an aesthetic highlight of the developments. Some developers are including artificial wetland areas in the storm water retention plans that provide wildlife habitat and reforestation.
Wetlands restoration and protection has been embraced not only by the US government but groups like the Audubon Society and Ducks Unlimited for many years. These wetlands reduce pollution runoff, provide animal habitat and restrict construction. In addition, wetlands reduce saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers.
Forestry watersheds are important not only for prevention of erosion, but enhance aquifer recharge and reduce flooding potential. Improved forestry methods maintain these watersheds while producing valuable natural resources. Working with the forestry industry to expand watershed acreage will reduce real estate development in privately owned timberland areas, preserving more valuable woodlands without government intervention.
Water conservation is an issue that needs to be addressed more urgently in many areas of the world. Water conservation requires improved irrigation methods and more water treatment and reuse. Water conservation also includes the first three elements; storm water runoff, wetland restoration and water shed expansion.
Carbon dioxide reduction for the purposes global warming mitigation is stimulating inspiring advances in various energy fields. Improving energy efficiency and developing alternate energy sources will reduce dependence on foreign oil and eventually reduce energy costs to consumers. If wisely selected, these technologies will stimulate economic and technology growth similar to the space program’s stimulus in the 1960‘s and 1970‘s.
Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV) whether they use hydrogen, ethanol or synthetic fuels will greatly reduce both atmospheric and noise pollution. The efficiency of the FCV is much greater than internal combustion engines with equal performance.
Aviation grade bio and/or synthetic fuels are being developed that are much less polluting than petroleum based aviation fuels. Biomass production for aviation and road bio-diesel can be expanded to impoverished areas of the world improving local quality of life. Algae for example can be grown in saltwater or polluted water. Lack of adequate clean water is often a contributing factor to the condition of poorer nations. Algae farms produce a valuable cash crop and can provide clean water through desalination plants powered by algae bio-fuels or through algae treatment of polluted water. Since animal and human waste can provide nutrients for algae farms, sanitation in many areas can be improved for economic reasons.
Assuming that socially responsible efforts are made to combat climate change, yes global warming is a good thing.
With sea level rise predicted at 0.5 cm per year in the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) fourth report, mitigation is recommended to reduce sea level rise. Mitigation of sea level rise includes, storm water runoff retention, wet lands restoration, forestry water shed expansion and water conservation.
Storm water runoff is being addressed due to pollution of estuaries in many parts of the world. Real estate developers are required to build retention ponds/lakes in many areas as a part of their projects. These ponds are often an aesthetic highlight of the developments. Some developers are including artificial wetland areas in the storm water retention plans that provide wildlife habitat and reforestation.
Wetlands restoration and protection has been embraced not only by the US government but groups like the Audubon Society and Ducks Unlimited for many years. These wetlands reduce pollution runoff, provide animal habitat and restrict construction. In addition, wetlands reduce saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers.
Forestry watersheds are important not only for prevention of erosion, but enhance aquifer recharge and reduce flooding potential. Improved forestry methods maintain these watersheds while producing valuable natural resources. Working with the forestry industry to expand watershed acreage will reduce real estate development in privately owned timberland areas, preserving more valuable woodlands without government intervention.
Water conservation is an issue that needs to be addressed more urgently in many areas of the world. Water conservation requires improved irrigation methods and more water treatment and reuse. Water conservation also includes the first three elements; storm water runoff, wetland restoration and water shed expansion.
Carbon dioxide reduction for the purposes global warming mitigation is stimulating inspiring advances in various energy fields. Improving energy efficiency and developing alternate energy sources will reduce dependence on foreign oil and eventually reduce energy costs to consumers. If wisely selected, these technologies will stimulate economic and technology growth similar to the space program’s stimulus in the 1960‘s and 1970‘s.
Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV) whether they use hydrogen, ethanol or synthetic fuels will greatly reduce both atmospheric and noise pollution. The efficiency of the FCV is much greater than internal combustion engines with equal performance.
Aviation grade bio and/or synthetic fuels are being developed that are much less polluting than petroleum based aviation fuels. Biomass production for aviation and road bio-diesel can be expanded to impoverished areas of the world improving local quality of life. Algae for example can be grown in saltwater or polluted water. Lack of adequate clean water is often a contributing factor to the condition of poorer nations. Algae farms produce a valuable cash crop and can provide clean water through desalination plants powered by algae bio-fuels or through algae treatment of polluted water. Since animal and human waste can provide nutrients for algae farms, sanitation in many areas can be improved for economic reasons.
Assuming that socially responsible efforts are made to combat climate change, yes global warming is a good thing.
Monday, May 28, 2007
The Challenge of Climate Change
Addressing green house gases in the atmosphere, which is the critical manmade components that contribute to climate change, is possible. Making that reduction in green house gasses in a socially and economically sound manner is the challenge. Projects that have produced alternate fuels, with the goal of energy independence, may have contributed to overall greenhouse emissions.
For example Brazil’s ethanol program: This program is a model for many nations’ seeking solutions to global warming and foreign oil dependence. How effective is Brazil’s ethanol program in reducing that nation’s carbon footprint?
Much of Brazil’s farmland was once rainforest. Deforestation is a major contributor to carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Ethanol as a fuel, produces less atmospheric carbon dioxide than gasoline, but is not carbon neutral. Considering the production energy requirements from seedling to ethanol, there is less carbon dioxide released, but still considerable amounts are released. The net result of Brazil’s ethanol program may well be highly carbon positive.
I addition to carbon dioxide, decaying plant vegetation used as green manure (a fertilizer) releases methane which is also a greenhouse gas.
So Brazil’s ethanol program at best may have reduced the rate of carbon dioxide addition to the atmosphere. Most probably, Brazil’s program increases atmospheric carbon dioxide levels at a greater rate due to deforestation.
While bio-fuels appear to have a strong role in the transition for fossil fuels to renewable fuels, the choice of biomass is critical if atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are to be maintained or reduced.
Algae show much greater potential as a biomass that standard field crops. The advantages of algae are much higher energy production per pound of biomass, much less acreage required per pound of biomass and continuous harvesting of biomass. An additional advantage is that non-forested acreage unsuited to traditional farming can be used for algae production.
Common products from algae are bio-diesel, ethanol and high protein feed animal feeds. Using all of the algae for these purposes results in carbon neutrality of the crop. Other products can be made from algae that can make the crop carbon negative or sequester the carbon. Plastics, construction materials and soil enhancers (charcoals for nutrient retention) can be made from algae.
From a socially responsible position, algae farms are well suited for locations in the world where economic conditions cause great hardship. Algae farms can be located in areas of the world that experience frequent drought conditions. Saltwater which is plentiful in many of these areas can be used to grow algae and the bio-fuels from the algae can be used to power desalination plants. In politically stable, economically challenged nations, the value of the algae crop is sufficient to warrant outside investment.
The considerations that need to be made in finding real solutions to climate change and energy independence are enormous. The correct source of biomass is only one of those considerations.
(c)2007
For example Brazil’s ethanol program: This program is a model for many nations’ seeking solutions to global warming and foreign oil dependence. How effective is Brazil’s ethanol program in reducing that nation’s carbon footprint?
Much of Brazil’s farmland was once rainforest. Deforestation is a major contributor to carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Ethanol as a fuel, produces less atmospheric carbon dioxide than gasoline, but is not carbon neutral. Considering the production energy requirements from seedling to ethanol, there is less carbon dioxide released, but still considerable amounts are released. The net result of Brazil’s ethanol program may well be highly carbon positive.
I addition to carbon dioxide, decaying plant vegetation used as green manure (a fertilizer) releases methane which is also a greenhouse gas.
So Brazil’s ethanol program at best may have reduced the rate of carbon dioxide addition to the atmosphere. Most probably, Brazil’s program increases atmospheric carbon dioxide levels at a greater rate due to deforestation.
While bio-fuels appear to have a strong role in the transition for fossil fuels to renewable fuels, the choice of biomass is critical if atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are to be maintained or reduced.
Algae show much greater potential as a biomass that standard field crops. The advantages of algae are much higher energy production per pound of biomass, much less acreage required per pound of biomass and continuous harvesting of biomass. An additional advantage is that non-forested acreage unsuited to traditional farming can be used for algae production.
Common products from algae are bio-diesel, ethanol and high protein feed animal feeds. Using all of the algae for these purposes results in carbon neutrality of the crop. Other products can be made from algae that can make the crop carbon negative or sequester the carbon. Plastics, construction materials and soil enhancers (charcoals for nutrient retention) can be made from algae.
From a socially responsible position, algae farms are well suited for locations in the world where economic conditions cause great hardship. Algae farms can be located in areas of the world that experience frequent drought conditions. Saltwater which is plentiful in many of these areas can be used to grow algae and the bio-fuels from the algae can be used to power desalination plants. In politically stable, economically challenged nations, the value of the algae crop is sufficient to warrant outside investment.
The considerations that need to be made in finding real solutions to climate change and energy independence are enormous. The correct source of biomass is only one of those considerations.
(c)2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
The Global Warming debate is getting heated.
Al Gore has been criticized for using too much electricity and destroying the local environment with zinc mining. Gore predicts 20 foot rises in sea levels that appear to be contradicted by 20 inch estimates in the International Panel of Climate Change’s (IPCC) Forth report. Liberals are accusing Big Oil of conspiracies to falsify data on CO2 emissions impact on climate change. NASA is planning to launch mini mirrors into orbit to block some of the sunlight to balance the effect of green house gases. So what’s the deal?
The deal is that there are logical paths to follow. There is no way the billions of humans can occupy a planet without having some negative impact. So yes, all the little human polluters need to tighten up! There are things you can do to save money on energy. These things that Al Gore mention: Florescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats, hot water heater blankets, solar outdoor lighting, and changing your air conditioner filters regularly are all great suggestions. If you add hot water heater timers, weather stripping, lighter colored roofing material, high-efficiency or water source heat pump air conditioning (where the water can be properly utilized), attic ventilation, ceiling fans, window tinting, insulated glass windows, proper attic insulation and passive solar applications (deciduous trees on the south side of your home for one); you are beginning to get the point I was paid to make for years.
The regular Earthling can do plenty to help save themselves energy, that just happens to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money. Irregardless of your stance on global warming, these are simple economically sound things you can do. A friend of mine told me that if I replace one incandescent light bulb, I could help stop global warming. I only have two incandescent bulbs and they are both 12 volt. Every light I use is florescent.
What can municipalities do to help? Check out the urban heat island effect. For some odd reason, the IPCC does not include the urban heat island effect in their mankind’s contributions to global warming. It is considered insignificant in their report. Yet, Al Gore lists things like florescent light bulbs, etc. as helpful parts of the solution. Urban heat island effect is this; dark pavement, dark home roofs, densely packed buildings and fewer trees create much warmer urban areas. The ten plus degree warmer air temperatures in the heat islands reduce the efficiency of air conditioning units, reduce the efficiency of motor vehicles and increase air conditioning demand. Reducing heat island effect is like installing a heck of a lot of florescent bulbs!
Local governments can help reduce the heat island effect with reduced heat absorption pavements, encouraged tree planting, construction code changes to address reflective/less heat absorbing roofing, green roof initiatives and encouraging green development. The green development not only reduces the heat island effect, it has created some beautiful areas in revitalization projects.
The federal government has been doing more than they have been given credit for. Dozens of relatively small government grants have help develop a large number of new technologies and products in alternate energy production and storage. Many types of alternate energy generation are just becoming economically feasible. Wind power generation is now viable. Five mega watt wind mills are online instead of the 50 kilowatt toys available ten to twenty years ago. Solar cells are becoming more efficient and less expensive. Fuel cells are lighter, cost much less and are more efficient. Hydrogen fuel storage technology has improved incredibly in the last four years. Farmers risked their own money years ago to start alcohol distilleries for alternate energy. All of these were aided by federal programs, grants and tax incentives.
If you are new to the global warming band wagon, just how much have you done over the past thirty years to help. Yep! For thirty years scientists and entrepreneurs have been working to develop more energy efficient devices and alternate energy applications related to reducing global warming. A great deal of these scientists and entrepreneurs gained inspiration from NASA. Some gained inspiration from military contracts. Some worked for years on their own until finally tax incentives and rising gas costs drove investors to their door.
If you really want to do something that might help global warming, start thinking higher efficiency, alternate energy, alternate fuels and new technology. If you don’t buy the alternatives, change will never happen. In the next two years, real alternatives that offer real performance will be available from the auto industry. The “not in my backyard mentality” related to wind farms and other green energy options needs to be reconsidered. New and some older green energy options are in the works for your community. Cleaner, transitional, uses of fossil fuels need to be used on the road to fossil fuel independence, accept that fact. That ten year old coal fired power plant has not paid for itself yet. Don’t shut it down. Upgrade the scrubbers if need be and increase the carbon retention, and call it transitional. Because that is what it is.
The ball will soon be in your court consumer. This is a capitalistic society. Products that help solve some of the problem are available. New automotive products that are the real deal, are coming soon to a show room near you. To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, ask not what your country can do for global warming, ask instead, what you can do for your world to stop global warming.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
What Everyone Should Know About Associated Content
Charlotte tells about what it means to have the opportunity to enjoy your passion and be paid for the effort. It is a great example of why people join and stay at Associated Content.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
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