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New Solar Tech Even Works at Night

Posted: February 1st, 2008, 10:21pm MST by sanman

LBL_TAG_TAGS: solar science energy physics sun [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

A new solar technology based on tiny nano-sized antennae is capable of harvesting energy with 80% efficiency, as opposed to the 10-20% seen on commercial solar panels today. But if that isn't amazing enough for you, these new panels can even harvest energy at night, by absorbing light from the infrared region of the spectrum, which continues to residually radiate during nighttime. And even better still is that solar panels based on this technology could be manufactured even more cheaply than existing silicon-based solar panels today. Now these are innovations that could radically transform the world, allowing anyone to generate power 24/7 locally onsite, without even being connected to a power transmission grid. Disruptive technologies like this kind of remind me of the invention of the cellphone.

[www.groovygreen.com]

[www.inl.gov]

http://www.gizmag.com/researchers-de...at-night/8574/

Engadget

CoMo's USB drive touts customizable, solar-powered LCD

Posted: June 30th, 2007, 10:04am MDT by Darren Murph

LBL_TAG_TAGS: USB solar cell power [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Filed under: Storage
Tacking an LCD onto the exterior of a USB flash drive is nothing new, but CoMo Gadget's CM-1022 is upping the ante by allowing users to customize what's pictured on the screen. This less-than-attractive device is helped out by the ability to upload a logo or picture onto the built-in screen, which then flashes to get "maximum exposure" for marketers. Additionally, there's room for 4GB of mind-numbing press releases, Java games, or one-time use coupons, and considering that the display is reportedly solar-powered, a dab of sun should keep the flashing going 'til the wee hours of the night. No signs of a pricetag just yet, but unless you've got advertising on the brain, we'd steer clear of this one.

[Via EverythingUSB]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Solar motorbike uses snail shell shape for surface area

Posted: June 24th, 2007, 5:45pm MDT by Conrad Quilty-Harper

LBL_TAG_TAGS: electric solar bike mototcycle [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Filed under: Transportation

Powering a car with solar panels is a relatively easy task, but on a motorbike it's a lot harder to find flat surfaces to catch the sun. That means that a solar powered motorbike has got to look rather odd in order to provide enough surface area for the panels: hence the snail shell-like design of SunRed's prototype solar powered bike. When (or if) SunRed completes a real world prototype, the bike's surface area will be 25 square feet, allowing the bike to store enough of the sun's energy to ride for 13 miles at speeds of up to 30 MPH. The motor is integrated into the wheel too, so there's no transmission. Once these "green" bike thinkers sort out the problem of running a bike without oil, we hope they'll move onto making them a little less fugly. It seems like a precedent is being set here.

[Via Autoblog Green]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Brando's versatile universal solar charger

Posted: June 23rd, 2007, 5:06am MDT by Darren Murph

LBL_TAG_TAGS: solar cell charger pannel [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Filed under: Peripherals

Relying on the sun to juice up your gadgetry is nothing new, but Brando has deviated from its cockamamie ways a bit and actually cranked out a product that is remarkably useful. The Universal Solar Charger was designed to fit neatly in your knapsack whilst traveling and provide power to any number of mobile devices via the use of adapters. Users can rely on sunlight or default to an AC outlet if stuck indoors, and most notably, the switchable voltage function allows you to handle a vast array of devices without damaging any circuitry. Unfortunately, the status quo of sub-$30 or so for a Brando gizmo has been shattered by this one, but if you're a worldwide traveler looking for portable (and renewable) power, $69 still ain't too bad.

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Ermenegildo Zegna's iSolarX jacket juices up gadgetry

Posted: June 22nd, 2007, 5:53pm MDT by Darren Murph

LBL_TAG_TAGS: solar cell pannel jacket [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Filed under: Wearables

While Ermenegildo Zegna made the plunge into high-end, electronic savvy outerwear last Fall, its newest piece ups the ante by allowing gadgetry that you keep on your person to be charged up whilst out and about -- sans batteries. The Solar JKT is based around Interactive Wear AG's iSolarX technology, and sports a number of solar modules around the neoprene collar that can pass energy through conducting textile leads for storage in a buffer battery or to charge a connected device directly. The jacket can even be switched from 5V to 6V in order to handle a more diverse group of gizmos, and integrated LEDs enable you to quickly view the state of the charge. Sadly, there's no mention of an expected pricetag for this uber-useful garb, but it will likely cater specifically to the affluent set when it hits the market as part of the 2008 Spring / Summer collection.

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Spectrolab designs highly efficient solar cell

Posted: June 16th, 2007, 1:05pm MDT by Darren Murph

LBL_TAG_TAGS: science solar cell energy light [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
While we certainly applaud the designers at Spectrolab for developing a solar cell that's reportedly "twice as efficient as typical rooftop solar panels," we're stifling most of our excitement until it actually leaves the laboratory. Nevertheless, the Boeing subsidiary has apparently cranked out a cell that utilizes metamorphic materials and is "designed for photovoltaic systems that use lenses and mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays onto small, high-efficiency solar cells." The unique semiconductors used are said to resemble ones that adorn satellites and planetary landers, and can capture three layers of the solar spectrum versus the single layer that traditional solar panels collect. Unfortunately, it seems that the eventual goals for this thing are rather ho hum, as the crew only expects the cells to hit 45-percent efficiency within the next six or so years. C'mon folks, you've already got alternatives at 40.

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Solar Technology's Freeloader saps power from USB, the Sun

Posted: February 19th, 2007, 1:54pm MST by Paul Miller

LBL_TAG_TAGS: solar cell panel USB [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Peripherals

While it won't do your laptop any good, this new Freeloader gig from Solar Technology should be able to provide juice to just about every other gadget in your repertoire. The device contains its own li-ion rechargeable battery, which it can fill up from your laptop or desktop's power via USB, or using its 120mA crystalline solar cells. From there you've got a master cable and eleven adaptors to get the electricity into your phone, camera, PDA, GPS, gaming handheld or DAP. Solar Technology seems to have most of the big brands covered, and claims it can fuel an iPod for 18 hours, a mobile phone for 44 hours, PSP for 2.5 hours and a PDA for 22 hours -- not too shabby for the 6.5 ounce unit. Sure, we've seen plenty of similar chargers before, but the combination of device compatibility and relatively low price (£30, about $59 US) makes this a decent option for those sun-drenched road warriors out there.

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Rtisbute's News Feeds » Tags » solar

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7 items tagged "solar"

Posted: February 1st, 2008, 10:21pm MST by sanman

LBL_TAG_TAGS: solar science energy physics sun [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Posted: June 30th, 2007, 10:04am MDT by Darren Murph

LBL_TAG_TAGS: USB solar cell power [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Posted: June 24th, 2007, 5:45pm MDT by Conrad Quilty-Harper

LBL_TAG_TAGS: electric solar bike mototcycle [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Posted: June 23rd, 2007, 5:06am MDT by Darren Murph

LBL_TAG_TAGS: solar cell charger pannel [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Posted: June 22nd, 2007, 5:53pm MDT by Darren Murph

LBL_TAG_TAGS: solar cell pannel jacket [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Posted: June 16th, 2007, 1:05pm MDT by Darren Murph

LBL_TAG_TAGS: science solar cell energy light [LBL_TAG_EDIT]

Posted: February 19th, 2007, 1:54pm MST by Paul Miller

LBL_TAG_TAGS: solar cell panel USB [LBL_TAG_EDIT]