Childhood developmental scores and levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a key protein for brain development — are significantly higher with decreased levels of exposure to air pollution in utero, according to a new study that examined the after-effects of the closure of a coal-burning power plant in Tongliang, China. The study — performed
Originally published on Sustainablog. I have no doubt that climatology is a challenging field in and of itself, but climate scientists – particularly those focused on global warming – also have to deal with consistent attempts to undermine their credibility. They’re just following the “consensus” (which, ya know, didn’t actually result from empirical evidence) because it’ll get
The coercivity of nickel ferrite (NFO) thin films can be reduced by as much as 80% via the patterning of the surface of the material, according to new research from North Carolina State University. This finding “opens the door” to greater energy efficiency in high-frequency electronics — such as sensors, antennas, microwave-utilizing devices, etc. “This
An entirely new way to filter light, one that has long been sought but until now remained elusive, has been achieved by researchers at MIT. For the first time, it’s become possible to selectively filter light according to its direction of propagation — in other words, to filter it based on where it’s coming from.
2013 was a classic good news-bad news year for renewable energy with surging solar, green building, and EVs counterbalanced by slowing wind and investment
Originally Published on the ECOreport. There are currently approximately 400,000 homes in the US with rooftop solar arrays and by 2024 solar panels may be more common than satellite dishes. In their white paper, “The Importance of Reliable Solar Mounting Systems,” Barry Cinnamon, Liz Oh, and a consortium of experts in the solar industry provide
A new silicon solar photovoltaic cell capable of turning infrared radiation into electricity has been developed by a team headed by researchers at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
While solar cells capable of taking advantage of the infrared portion of the solar spectrum are nothing new, a silicon solar cell that can effectively do so is.
The new silicon cell capable of absorbing the infrared radiation. Image Credit: Asociación RUVID
Silicon is the material of choice for visible light photodetection and solar cell fabrication. However, due to the intrinsic band gap properties of silicon, most infrared photons are energetically useless. Here, we show the first example of a photodiode developed on a micrometre scale sphere made of polycrystalline silicon whose photocurrent shows the Mie modes of a classical spherical resonator. The long dwell time of resonating photons enhances the photocurrent response, extending it into the infrared region well beyond the absorption edge of bulk silicon.
It opens the door for developing solar cells and photodetectors that may harvest infrared light more efficiently than silicon photovoltaic devices that are so far developed.
Lead researcher, professor Francisco Meseguer, explains thusly: “After three years of work, our research team has developed a new concept of silicon solar cells able to absorb infrared radiation from the sun and turning them into electricity.”
Researcher Moisés Garín, from the CSIC and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, adds to that: “What we have done is create photovoltaic cells on silicon micrometer-scale sphere, where infrared light is trapped until it is absorbed turning it into electricity.”
As you can probably tell from the quotes, English isn’t the first language of the researchers. But if you like to have some visuals accompany verbal explanation (or are fortunate enough to speak Spanish), then you may still enjoy the video posted below explaining the work.
The new research was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Originally published on Roen Financial Report. Any way you slice it, solar investing has been on a tear for the last year. Of the 69 solar stocks that the Roen Financial Report tracks, three-quarters are up for the year. On average solar stocks have gained 85% for the year, with 60% of solar companies up in the double digits.
The service life of aircraft engines can be greatly increased, by up to 300%, through the use of a nanoparticle coating, according to new research from University West in Sweden. This nanoparticle coating also allows the temperature within the engine to be raised, which would increase fuel efficiency — resulting in decreased fuel use, and
Originally published on RenewEconomy. As Germany chancellor Angela Merkel said last month, if Germany can succeed with its ambitious energy transition then other countries could too. “If we succeed, then she (the Energiewende) – and I’m convinced of it – will become another German export hit,” she said. “The world looks with a mixture of a
But if you like to have some visuals accompany verbal explanation (or are fortunate enough to speak Spanish), then you may still enjoy the video posted below explaining the work.