Tag Archives: Energy

The New Thin Solar Cell

Posted on November 6, 2017 by | 2 comments

        There is always constant search for new eco-friendly energy sources and researchers at Tohoku University developed a new solar cell. Akama T. et al. used atomically thin 2D materials, known as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), to produced a semitransparent, flexible solar cell. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of this innovation is 0.7% and although this value seems extremely small, it is the highest value for known for TMDs.

Semitransparent flexible solar cell

Why should we care about this? There are other energy production methods with higher PCE values, but none of them have the physical properties like a few layers of TMD. What makes this so significant is that the solar cell is extremely thin and still semi-flexible. You have probably seen an older version of this material in calculators such as the picture below.

Solar Calculator

Current solar cells are rigid, opaque and for large amounts of energy, they require a larger surface area. This research begins to solve all three problems; flexibility, transparency, and efficiency. Imagine the possibilities once the solar cell has become transparent, semi-flexible and highly energetic. As stated by the researchers, “…next-generation smart solar cells for various applications such as in the surfaces of windows, front display panels of personal computers and cell phones, and human skin.”

Solar Charger for Mobile Devices

Every window in a building can produce electricity and your cellphones can recharge some of its battery just by being exposed to the sun. The development of solar cells is not solely for mass energy production, but potentially for everyday applications.

-Carswell Liu

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A Clear Solution for Green Energy

Posted on October 30, 2017 by | Leave a comment

Researchers at Michigan State University have redefined the future of solar power applications. Unlike conventional solar panels, this light harvesting technology is transparent and nearly as efficient in converting light into electricity.

The need for effective and cost efficient technology has never been higher.  As global energy consumption moves away from fossil fuels, solar powered energy has become a key player in the green energy sector. Solar cells can supply a substantial amount of energy, but they need to be deployed over a large area. Theoretically, a solar installation that covers 20% of Nevada could power the entire United States.

Schematic of current solar panel use.

Solar panels work by using the energy from light rays to bump electrons from atoms, generating a flow of electricity. Typically, solar panels comprise of many photovoltaic cells, simply meaning they convert sunlight into electricity.

Traditional panels are not enough to produce sustainable energy.

Traditional solar panels have been integrated in many areas and are often found on top of homes or tall buildings. Although this have proven to moderately effective, MSU researchers believe that this new technology will drastically expand photovoltaic applications. The thin, plastic-like material can be used on building facades, windows, cell phones and other devices with a clear surface.

As the direct pathway of sunlight varies temporally and spatially, increasing the possible areas in which energy can be harvesting also increases the absorption potential. Researchers from the University of Lisbon find that having photovoltaic cells on two or three building facades and windows could significantly increase the amount of electricity produced.

It is estimated that there is 5-7 billion square meters of glass surface area in the US. With this amount alone, solar technologies could supply almost 40% of the United States power demand. When combined with traditional solar panels, solar energy could become a major global producer of energy.

See-through solar-harvesting technologies are pioneering the expansion of solar powered applications and their implications could have a huge impact on clean energy in the future.

-Mya Dodd

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If you feel stressed by school: drink coffee!

Posted on October 29, 2017 by | 4 comments

Source: Flickr

As a student, getting close to the end of the semester can be quite stressful. Assignment deadlines and exams are building up in all the courses so you get overwhelmed and feel extra tired all the time. Then, this stress evolves into anxiety and feeling so down that the motivation to get good grades is lost. You reach a point just want to get over with the semester alive. Does this sound familiar? I bet you’ve felt like this at least once in your life, I know I have! Well, an easy solution to help you feel better is drinking coffee. I know, we usually think of coffee only as a source to keep us awake. Even some of us might have grown up with the idea that drinking coffee is bad for your health, but turns out it is actually beneficial to our mental health.

Coffee has been shown to help decrease depression and stress by boosting your mood and sense of well being. Consuming coffee, inhibits the adenosine hormone in the brain, which is the one responsible for making you feel sleepy and down. This inhibition leads to a state of alertness and it is related to increased dopamine, which is a stimulant in the brain that is responsible for making you feel good. Moreover, that feeling of enhanced alertness is what helps to keep us awake and feel more energized. This also has been proven to increase memory, attention spam and cognitive functions. Drinking coffee can improve our mood and feel help us feel more energized, thus, it reduces stress which helps us be more productive to excel in our courses.

However, everything in excess is bad for your health. Taking excessive amounts of coffee can be detrimental to your well-being. Caffeine is considered a drug, meaning that we can create an addiction to it and if not taken in moderation. If this happens, a day without coffee can actually make us feel worse by producing withdrawal symptoms, which ultimately makes us feel more stressed. Essentially your body gets used to the benefits coffee gives you and stops moderating these hormones naturally since caffeine does it for our organism instead. To avoid this, parameters of the amount of caffeine that can be safely consumed daily have been stablished. For healthy adults the recommended amount is no more than 400g of caffeine per day, which is about 240 ml or three 8oz cups of coffee per day.

As we know, student life can be very stressful and so we need to take care of our mental health if we want to be productive, have good grades, and be happy. Drinking coffee can help make us feel better and also keep us energized and focused in school. But, as everything in life, moderation is key to get all the benefits and avoid the disadvantages.

Andrea Olaizola.

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A Trip To Masdar City

Posted on September 30, 2017 by | 1 comment

Nearly a decade ago the project of the world’s first most sustainable and developed city has started, this city is Masdar City. Masdar is a renewable energy company based in Abu Dhabi. The project costs approximately 22 billion $, it first began in 2006, and it’s planned to contain more than 1500 businesses after it’s awaiting completion in 2030. Masdar should be a model for our future cities.

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So what is special about this city?. In today’s world, access to a dependable energy supply is becoming more difficult day after day, and everyday the demand for energy grows bigger and bigger. This 6 km² city uses green materials for the infrastructure and reduces water and energy consumption by 40% compared to an average city of its size and advancement. Masdar city is also the first zero-carbon and a zero-waste city.  

Masdar is home to the one of the most advanced solar energy technology in the world. It uses multiple solar power plants to convert the sun’s heat into electricity. The city supports scientific research to find efficient methods to increase the energy production reduce the consumption. 

Image 2: The 10MW Solar Photovolatic Plant in Masdar City

Since the average temperature in Abu Dhabi is 36°C, the buildings use social canopies to provide shade to walking pedestrians and thus reduce the energy consumed in air conditioners. 

As we know transportation has one of the biggest effects on the environment, and the amount of fuel used by vehicles is enormous, so how does Masdar City deal with this problem? The city uses a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) that rely on solar energy. This electronic train like vehicle carries three to six passengers and it moves along built guideways.

Image 3: Masdar’s PRT system

Masdar is the city of the future and a model for what our cities should develop to.

Renad Aldebasi 

 

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