Associate Professor Michael Strano (left) with graduate student Ardemis Boghossian and postdoctoral fellow Moon-Ho Ham, in one of the labs where they and their team developed the self-repairing PV technology (Image: Patrick Gillooly)

It has been a while since my last post. I have been busy with site walks, vacation (needed), and communications regarding the district solar project. The pace will pick up again very soon. We are now in the process of evaluating the proposals set forth by the participants.

On the same subject, solar power, there has been some technology news. In the above photo you can see the people directly involved with a breakthrough that may someday change solar power for everyone. Self repairing solar panels may become a reality thanks to their hard work.

A very significant problem with solar panels is the breakdown of the material over time. As panels age, they simply don't work as well. If the material were to "self repair" the efficiency would theoretically be the same forever.

Another big step will be self cleaning features. Solar panels produce the most when the light can hit them directly. If there is a layer of dust, the production drops significantly. Large installations like the one we will be installing will have a cleaning and maintenance contract built in to the cost and return on investment model.

For more information on the new breakthrough, follow the related link below.

A company called Clarian Power has a product in development called "Sunfish Plug-In Solar Power". The product will have several models, ranging from 200 watts at about $700 to $4000 for a 1000 watt unit. From their website:

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The Sunfish plugs directly into an existing electrical outlet and automatically generates power whenever the sun is shining. The Sunfish can be mounted directly on the side of a home, on a deck, or on a rooftop and is modular, allowing you to generate up to 1kW of hassle-free power. And, it can generate up to 30 kWh per month, enough to light an average home using energy efficient light bulbs. Expected to cost between $599 and $799, the Sunfish is a cost-effective option for homeowners and small business owners looking to harness solar power for the first time. Working in tandem with the existing power grid, the Sunfish enables large-scale distributed-generation, delivering power exactly where it's needed, reducing the demand for costly transmission infrastructure. With built-in circuit protection, the Sunfish's unique micro-inverter design ensures years of safe, reliable operation with efficiency comparable to inverters that cost thousands of dollars more. And by mounting the micro-inverter directly to solar panel, the Sunfish reduces line loses and increases output by as much as 10%! Also, by pairing each solar module with a micro-inverter the Sunfish is able to individually optimize the power output of each panel. And the Sunfish can be plugged directly into the existing power grid without special wiring or expensive controls - you literally just plug it into the wall, anywhere there's power. Plus, the anti-islanding features inherent in its design protects local utility workers in the event of a power outage - if the grid shuts down, the Sunfish immediately stops generating power, again without the need for any special wiring or controls. And with onboard networking and optional backup storage, the Sunfish also allow customers to track and monitor production online.
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Follow the related link below to visit their website.

In California, we are used to being trendsetters with energy. However, it isn't often that a community or small scale energy project gets a national spotlight, even for a moment. Right now, the Richmond Plunge is having it's moment. After a 10 year renovation, adding Solar Electric, Solar Thermal and a chlorine free water processing system, the pool is beautiful and sets a new standard for a community.

The solar panels for electricity are expected to produce 30 kilowatts while the solar thermal should maintain a comfortable water temperature.

The water is kept clean and safe with a saline process that also incorporates ultraviolet light to kill bacteria. No chlorine means no harsh chemicals on the skin or in swimmers eyes. The lack of chlorine should also help guest breath a bit easier when they are out of the water.

You can click the image above for a larger view.

The United States used significantly less coal and petroleum in 2009 than in 2008, and significantly more wind power. There also was a decline in natural gas use and increases in solar, hydro and geothermal power according to the most recent energy flow charts released by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

A lot of the transition is attributed to the economy and higher efficiency devices and machines. We have also installed more renewable energy sources, in particular wind power during 2009. Many incentive programs for renewable energies kicked in during 2009.

To see a high definition version of the image above, follow the related link below.

Scientists at the Norwegian Academy of Science have designed a new type of hydrogen fuel cell that is inspired by human lungs. The new design can reduce the amount of expensive platinum catalyst, while increasing the efficiency of the cell.

The new approach spreads gases more uniformly across the catalyst than current designs providing a greater surface area and higher efficiency.