New solar fuel machine 'mimics plant life'

A prototype solar device has been unveiled which mimics plant life, turning the Sun's energy into fuel. The machine uses the Sun's rays and a metal oxide called ceria to break down carbon dioxide or water into fuels which can be stored and transported. Conventional photovoltaic panels must use the electricity they generate in situ, and cannot deliver power at night. Details are published in the journal Science. The prototype, which was devised by researchers in the US and Switzerland, uses a quartz window and cavity to concentrate sunlight into a cylinder lined with cerium oxide, also known as ceria. Ceria has a natural propensity to exhale oxygen as it heats up and inhale it as it cools down. If as in the prototype, carbon dioxide and/or water are pumped into the vessel, the ceria will rapidly strip the oxygen from them as it cools, creating hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide.


Continued at link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12051167

New solar chargers are able to run and charge a laptop at the same time The technology behind solar energy is constantly evolving. Portable devices that charge up gadgets from the sun are becoming smaller and more powerful. A new generation of portable solar chargers can plug straight into a laptop and provide up to a quarter of its power needs while in use.

The Solargorilla charger by Powertraveller, for instance, can also level out the electrical spikes caused when clouds obscure the sun.

Jerry Ranger, head of Powertraveller, says the charger is able to convert a high percentage of the sunlight's energy in a more compact way than previous devices.

"You can get the power output if you get a massive great big panel but clearly that's impractical so we've needed to get it down to a size that's portable," he told BBC Click.

"So previously we had around 15% efficiencies, we're now on the verge of getting 20%, and within the next 18 months we expect to deliver around 22% efficiencies," he explained.

Consumers can currently use portable panels only for charging up small devices such as phones or music players.

Powertraveller plans to launch a portable four-panel folding array that can run a laptop and charge the battery at the same time.

Planned for spring 2010, it will be the first commercial device to offer AC or DC outputs.

Solar roofing tiles
Solar roofing tiles are a new way to exploit solar energy in the home

Consumers are also increasingly exploiting the sun's energy in the home.



Panel power

There has been a steady growth in small-scale electricity production at home in recent years. In 2008 there was a considerable jump - the number of people looking to generate their own electricity doubled in just 12 months.

continued at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/8370642.stm


However, you still will need to maintain ties to the local power company since even the sunniest climates have cloudy days, which limits how much power the tiles can actually generate. Still, the savings in power costs should be huge over a period of time. Solar roof tiles are installed like shingles, so you should be able to get any roofing contractor to install them.

Below are examples of the leading solar roofing tiles in the industry:

* Premier Power offers seamless roof tiles that interlock and weigh about 2.5 pounds per square foot. The technology used is the same used by NASA and is sturdy and requires little maintenance. They are sold in dark blue and come with a 25-year warranty.
* Solatron Technologies offers roof tiling that is pre-made to meet certain standards or building codes. They come with a 20-year corrosion warranty and can withstand up to 140 mph of wind.
* Sun Power solar roof tiles are easy to install and are non-penetrating. These shingles also can withstand winds of up to 140 miles an hour.


more at: http://poweredbysolarpanels.com/solar-roof-tiles/ and http://poweredbysolarpanels.com/solar-roof-shingles/

24 December 2010 Last updated at 06:22 ET

The UK-built solar-powered Zephyr aeroplane has been confirmed as a record-breaker following its non-stop two-week flight earlier this year. The world governing body for air sports records, the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), gave Zephyr three records including longest time aloft."This aircraft can help track pirates off the Horn of Africa, alert the authorities about where and how fast forest fires are spreading, and ensure that soldiers' communications remain unaffected when fighting in mountainous or hilly terrain," said Qinetiq's chief designer Chris Kelleher.

continued at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12074162

Whoa - That is too School for Cool...

Yep - We were told the New Tech would be coming out soon...

We now have to choose the New Tech over the Old Tech so as to Shift the Paradigm...

Why are we still mucking around with these technologies? This is just a diversion.

Where are the true free energy devices already?
Where's the Beef?

eMonkey wrote:Why are we still mucking around with these technologies? This is just a diversion.

Where are the true free energy devices already?
Where's the Beef?

Good point.

Here ya go monkey...

Now you're talking..

Can plough some nice fields with that thar free energy device. I wonder if it likes Bananas?

Happy Holidays from Vienna

They love bananas. The last time we were in Vienna we were driving back from Budapest two weeks before the Berlin wall came down. Beautiful place. Happy Holidays to you too e-monkey.

Oops, they may charge you for steer methane gas release after eating the bananas.