RUSNANO invests in solar thin-film, pushes Russia towards solar technology leadership

RUSNANO, the Russian Corporation for Nanotechnologies, will start to produce solar modules using thin-film technology. The project was announced last Wednesday (May 20) after the approval given by RUSNANO’s Supervisory Council. RUSNANO CEO Anatoly Chubais referred to the project as “creating the largest base in Russia for the production of solar batteries” and “the most significant investment in alternative energy on the territory of the Russian Federation.”

The facility for the project will be built at the Khimprom industrial park, in the city of Novocheboksarsk of the Chuvash Republic. One million solar modules annually, equivalent to 120 megawatts a year, is the target capacity. Construction will begin on the third quarter of this year. The target capacity is planned to be reached by the fourth quarter of 2011.
Micromorph silicon thin-film technology developed by Swiss company Oerlikon Solar will be used as a basic technique in the project.

A new company will be established for the project. The RENOVA Group, a Russian conglomerate dealing in energy and other sectors, will partner with RUSNANO. Revenue of RUB10.3 billion is expected by 2015. An investment of RUB20.1 billion has been set. RUB3.7 billion will be contributed by RUSNANO for the new company’s equity. A loan of RUB9.8 billion will also be granted. RUSNANO will own 49% equity share while RENOVA will own 51% and handle development.
The project also involves the setting up of a research center, equipment for which will cost about RUB1 billion. The center will be responsible for developing ways of making the solar modules more effective. Collaboration will be made with the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

RUSNANO’s Supervisory Council earlier approved the corporation’s participation in the development of Russia’s first large-scale complex for polycrystalline silicon and monosilane production. The said raw materials are used in solar battery manufacture.

According to studies by US-based Lux Research, the silicon thin-film market was valued at 0.6 gigawatts (GW) in 2008. This figure is expected to rise to 2.4 GW by 2012, translating to a monetary growth of $8.6 billion from $3.8 billion. Southern European (Italy, Spain, and Greece) and German markets are being targeted for the sale of the products with RENOVA’s Avelar Energy Group as player. Up to 15% of the solar modules will soon be directed towards the Russian market.


- Jen Balboa


RUSNANO invests in solar thin-film, pushes Russia towards solar technology leadership

0 comments RSS Posted by Krasugir & Co at 8:21 AM

Solar Heated Swimming Pools

Spring is in the air, and now would be a great time to think about ways to contribute to the environment. One way to do so, if you have an outdoor swimming pool, is to consider a solar pool heating system. Not only will it save you money, it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The system is fairly simple to create. The pool provides the thermal storage, so there is no need to purchase anything for this particular aspect. And, the pump that is currently used to filter the water in the pool will also circulate the water through the solar collectors.


Pool Cover
A pool cover will drastically save on heating costs and cost, on average, around $120. Not only that, but this will also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are harmful to our environment. David Boehmer states, "...all other pool heating methods...should only be used in conjunction with a pool cover. Not to do so would be like running your house air conditioner during August with the doors and windows open. The system will still work, but the operating cost will be as much as three times higher." Visit the United States Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website to peruse estimates of how much it costs to heat a pool with and without a pool cover.

One of the reasons swimming pool covers are so effective is due to the loss of water incurred through evaporation. A pool cover alone can provide up to 50%-70% savings. There are various types of pool covers that you can consider in your purchasing decision. Bubble (or solar) covers are probably the least costly. Vinyl covers, however, are made of a thicker material and tend to have a longer life expectancy than bubble covers.

As stated, pool covers provide savings in your energy costs. However, they also have the following benefits:

They conserve water by reducing the amount of make-up water needed by 30%-50%
They reduce the pool's chemical consumption by 35%-60%
They reduce cleaning time by keeping dirt and other debris out of the pool

Solar Swimming Pool Heaters
A solar pool heater can significantly reduce the costs you acquire through heating your pool. Not only are they similar in price with other heating options, but they also have extremely low annual operating costs. When compared in many climates, they actually come out on top as being the most cost effective. These types of swimming pool heaters generally last longer than their gas and heat pump counterparts. With proper maintenance, they can last anywhere from ten to twenty years. Here is what is usually included in solar swimming pool heaters:

A solar collector - the device through which pool water is circulated to be heated by the sun
A filter - removes debris before water is pumped through the collector
A pump - circulates water through the filter and collector and back to the pool
A flow control valve - automatic or manual device that diverts pool water through the solar collector

The material that solar pool collectors are made of varies, and the specific type you will need is dependent on what climate you live in.

Solar Heated Swimming Pools - Green Energy Online

0 comments RSS Posted by Krasugir & Co at 7:29 AM

Painting Solar Cells onto Steel

Who knew painting could be so energy efficient? Swansea University researchers are looking into ways of painting solar cells onto pliable steel surfaces in the hope of generating electricity from the process. The allegation is that this method could produce the same amount of electricity as 50 wind farms.

Dr Dave Worsley, a Reader in the Materials Research Centre at the University's School of Engineering has this to say:

"Corus Colours produces around 100 million square metres of steel building cladding a year. If this was treated with the photovoltaic material, and assuming a conservative 5% energy conversion rate, then we could be looking at generating 4,500 gigawatts of electricity through the solar cells annually. That's the equivalent output of roughly 50 wind farms."

Although this is really the first time the capabilities of the outside of the steel have been investigated, the University has high hopes of the prospects. One of the Doctorate students in the Engineering department had been exploring how sunlight interacts with paint. This exploration prompted a new development - "a photovoltaic method of capturing solar energy."

Photovoltaic means that the paint is capable of producing a voltage when exposed to radiant energy, especially light. The materials that Swansea is producing are, according to them, more efficient at capturing low light radiation.

The University initially performed the study via a research grant from Welsh Assembly Government's Welsh Energy Research Centre, and this allowed from a great deal of the beginning data to be accumulated. Because that study proved to be so successful, an additional £1.5 million was awarded to the project for further evaluations.

So, how does one paint solar cells onto steel? The University desires for this to be done through the same conventional methods that paint is applied to steel during manufacturing - through rollers. Worsley is also exploring cost-efficient ways to make this whole process transpire.

Painting Solar Cells onto Steel - Green Energy Online

0 comments RSS Posted by Krasugir & Co at 7:29 AM

The Power Generated From Sun And Wind

The Power Generated From Sun And Wind
Posted by David Tanguay in wind power, sun power, solar power

The term green energy refers to the generation of power, usually electrical power, through renewable resources in other words, using energy sources that dont run out because weve used some of them. Green energy contrasts with power provided by fossil fuel, the emissions of which create toxic hydrocarbons that make us and our earth sick. Some green energy sources are sun, wind and water.

Green energy produced by the sun is called solar energy, generally captured through solar panels. There are two types of these solar panels. Each uses its own technology to create this green solar energy. Solar water heater collectors are green energy panels that absorb the suns energy and transfer it to water to heat it Solar or photovoltaic electric panels transform the radiation from the sun directly into electrical energy. For the best efficiency in solar green energy homeowners or contractors should mount the panels on a roof that faces south and at a 30 degree angle from the horizontal, and not near any shade or shadow caused by surrounding buildings, trees or chimneys.

Solar energy systems for water hearing are the most popular green energy in use in the United Kingdom. Connected to a homes hot water system, the solar panels provide more than half of each UK households hot water for a year. The two choices in solar collectors to heat water are evacuated tubes or flat plates.

Wind has been a source of green energy for several years. The primary early use of this green energy is to pump water and mill grain. Recently improvements in the technology of wind turbines have enabled the use of harnessed wind for the generation of electricity. In high wind areas such as Palm Springs CA, for example, youll see hundreds of wind turbines turning continually on the hills along the major thoroughfares. The electricity these generate then get exported to a grid for local use or for energizing a standalone application.

Wind as green energy has enormous potential both offshore and onshore for farming. It is one of the safest and cleanest of any of the renewable energy methods. The largest green energy source is the UKs use of wind energy. There youll find small green energy battery charging by wind at the lower end of the wind energy spectrum and huge wind farms that produce vast amounts of electricity at the higher end. While wind is currently producing less than one percent of the worlds energy green or otherwise, it has the potential for providing more than 10 percent. The expectation is that this will happen within the next twenty years, especially due to its highly competitive cost. Green energy from wind is very simple to create and maintain, and still leaves the surrounding land available for farming or development.

Of course, as with any green energy, neither solar or wind energy produce emissions or pollutants during their operation. About the only negative for either is the fact that some folks object to the look of the wind turbines, claiming it has a negative visual impact. Others disagree.

The Power Generated From Sun And Wind - Green Energy Online

0 comments RSS Posted by Krasugir & Co at 7:27 AM

Solar Power Tractor

When you stop and think about it, the world we live in is dependent on fossil fuels such as gas and oil. With these fuels being depleted every day, it is a real possibility that they will run out in the near future. This concern has lead researchers to develop new and innovative technology that relies on other natural methods to produce the power that we need to keep us out of the dark ages.


One of the most powerful resources in all of nature is solar power. Researchers have been able to harness only a fraction of the power the sun has, and inventors have been already been able to create many different solar powered items, both for home and business. One of these marvelous inventions is that solar powered tractor. These incredible machines have been a godsend to many people who own family farms, when every penny counts, as they have saved thousands of dollars in gas alone every year.

Solar powered tractors are more efficient than gas powered engines because it is a cleaner more efficient way to power vehicles. Solar powered tractors also are easier to maintain and repairs are fewer than a conventional tractor.

Solar power is one of the cleanest of all natural resources. There are no harmful emissions, or carbon deposits that deplete the ozone layer. It is a favorite among “Green” enthusiasts and many people are choosing this method above all others

Solar Power Tractor - Green Energy Online

0 comments RSS Posted by Krasugir & Co at 7:24 AM

Green Technology and Environmental Science News:

A company called GreenCore Air has released an air conditioner than can be powered by a single 170 watt solar panel. The GreenCore air conditioning unit can heat and cool a 600 square foot room. It runs on DC power, so there is no need to put an AC inverter between the solar panel and the air conditioner. This eliminates the power losses associated with converting AC to DC.
When the sun is not out the unit runs on the battery bank which is integrated within the unit.

There two version of the air conditioner: a fixed one, and a mobile one that is mounted on wheels.
GreenCore units are being tested by a McDonald’s restaurant and the U.S. Navy.

Green Technology and Environmental Science News:

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0 comments RSS Posted by Krasugir & Co at 7:29 AM

Solar Energy System Design

Solar energy is one source available in nature readily. The largest solar electric generating plant in ht e world in the place Kramer Junction in California is producing 354 mega watts of electricity. The solar collectors converts sunlight to heat a heat transfer fluid to a high temperature. The hot heat transfer fluid is then used to generate steam that drives the power conversion subsystem, producing electricity. Thermal energy storage provides heat for operation during periods without adequate sunshine.

Using photovoltaic cells also we can generate electricity magic silvers of silicon that converts the solar energy falling on them directly into electricity.

Knowledge of the quantity of solar energy available at a specific location is of prime importance for the design of any solar energy system. The sun radiation may vary from place to place which can cause wide variations in available isolation on the earth's surface.

1 comments RSS Posted by Krasugir & Co at 10:20 AM

Solar Energy

Solar Energy is defined as a energy obtained from the radiant light and heat from the sun. Summer is the best season for producing electricity when compared to other seasons. The power developed by this method is by Photovoltaics and heat engines.

Solar techniques are passive solar and active solar on the way of converting, capturing. Passive solar uses the solar thermal collector and photovoltaic panels with mechanical or electrical instruments to convert the sunlight into useful output.

Solar is the most

0 comments RSS Posted by Krasugir & Co at 8:47 AM