It’s a question we’ll ask every week, because there’s always something new in solar.
This week, all the green blogs are talking about them. They look like they belong at a kid’s birthday party, but they’re really working to get the highest efficiency out of solar cells. They are solar balloons, designed to drastically reduce the material and weight of photovoltaic technology. Made by CoolEarth, the balloons are poised to comprise the next generation of power plants. With their lightweight material, they have the potential to make solar power as affordable as natural gas while remaining clean and renewable. Because of their unusual bowl-like shape, sunlight is always directed toward their center without the need for additional tracking. CoolEarth just received $21 million in funding, so someone believes in them. A lot!
Link: Solar Balloons: CoolEarth Gets $21 Million in Funding
Solar balloons are interesting and certainly promising, but what about indoor solar panels? Thanks to the work of Anna Dyson from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, they may soon become a reality. Comprised of thin lenses that capture light and focus it onto solar cells, the new system features an innovative approach to sensing sunlight. All the pieces of the new solar panels will be made of glass and are designed for the window panes of buildings. With a combined heat and power efficiency of nearly 80 percent, supporters believe the indoor solar panels will supply up to 50 percent of the energy required for buildings to operate.
Link: Bringing Sunlight Inside