In advance of the 2012 Solar Decathlon Europe, we brought you a preview of some of the top solar-powered houses in the competition.
Or doubling the amount of energy produced from renewable sources, such as expensive, roof-top solar panels.
ECONOMIST: The much-talked-of smart grid prepares to enter the home
Another hypothetical scenario might have the roof, hood and trunk lid made of two layers: solar cells on top, spray-on batteries on the bottom.
FORBES: Soon We Might Spray-Paint Batteries Onto Any Surface
In this spirit, Forster says there are now plans to install photo-voltaic solar panels on top of the animal enclosures over the coming year.
All of the top solar panel manufacturers are Chinese companies.
FORBES: China Taking Lead Ahead of US on Clean Energy, Sen. Reid Says
To make this possible, Walgreens will equip the new store with more than 800 roof-top solar panels, two wind turbines, geothermal wells , LED lighting and energy-efficient building materials.
Ivanpah is a solar concentrator project, using fields of mirrors, known as heliostats, to concentrate sunlight onto a solar receiver on top of a tower. (This project when finished will include 173, 000 heliostats.) The concentrated sunlight is used to heat water, generating steam which is used to turn a traditional turbine and generator to produce electricity.
FORBES: Google Invests $168 Million In BrightSource Energy Solar Plant
All told, of the 561 MW of solar added last year by the top 10 utilities (776 MW of solar capacity was added altogether in 2010), 140 MW are actually owned by utilities, marking an increase of more than 300% in utility-owned solar over the previous year.
FORBES: Solar Halo Sticks in U.S. As Utility-Owned Solar Expands
Solar policy advocates note that even after state financial incentives for solar have declined precipitously in top-tier markets including Arizona and New Jersey, small-scale solar adoption continues to grow.
But most days, I make enough roof top PV solar power at home to avoid buying coal-based utility power.
FORBES: How Much Electricity Are You Paying For To Maintain Your Chevy Volt?
From a regional perspective, eight of the top 10 solar companies are based in China (see 2012 PV Sustainable Growth Index).
The majority of the top 10 solar panel makers in the world produce silicon panels, and six of them have most of their manufacturing plants in China.
FORBES: First Solar Struggles Amid Decline Of Thin-Film Solar Market
Or this information could also appear on top of the solar cells themselves, which are likely to display some version of the Apple logo.
In the top diagram the solar panel is completely exposed to a light source 1804 and all six electrode quadrants 1802 are producing electricity more or less equally.
FORBES: Patent Approval Paves Way For Apple To Fire Up Solar Powered iPhone
In February, First Solar was named one of the top places to work in Germany, ranking number 14 on the list.
For example, every Mountain West state ranks within the top ten nationally for solar power potential and all have high-temperature geothermal resources.
FORBES: The Mountain West Can Lead The Way On Energy Innovation
The Union, which seeks to promote relations between North Africa, the Middle East and Europe, considers TREC's solar energy proposal one of its top priorities.
Speaking of design contests, we also kicked off the European Solar Decathlon this week with a look at six incredible solar-powered homes that are competing at the European Solar Decathlon right now to win top prize.
ENGADGET: Inhabitat's Week in Green: GPS shoes, shape-shifting bicycle and a wheelchair helicopter
The all-carbon formula doesn't need to be thickly spread to do its work, and it simply lets visible light through -- it could layer on top of a traditional solar cell to catch many more of the sun's rays.
The lighthouse will not have a light on top, but a conservatory with solar panels.
Top of the list is a solar shade, a gigantic umbrella in space that would shield the Earth from the sun's rays.
Yingli Green Energy, just off a scorching fourth quarter in which it was the top seller of commercial and residential solar panels in California, is taking its show to the East Coast.
In Greece, a nationwide incentive pays the buyer of a solar system a rebate of 40% off the top.
The Associated Press compiled a list of 41 solar makers in the state, which included the top companies based on market data, and startups.
We're also happy to see that several of our favorite solar houses from the show made it to the top ranks, including Germany's elegant IKAROS house, the ultra-efficient Armadillo Box, and Finland's beautiful wooden Luukku house.
ENGADGET: Inhabitat's Week in Green: a US team wins the Solar Decathlon!
Also, we have seen some of the lagging sectors and forgotten stocks perk up. like Citigroup (C), Wells Fargo (WFC) and the solar stocks, usually a sign that at least a short term top is imminent.
FORBES: Crapping Out Isn't Off The Table But I Still Like The Odds Of Being Long
Thank GOD for the Pioneers like John Schaeffer that Started Real Goods The first and Best catalog for Renewable Energy and Dr. Addison Bain one of NASA top Scientist and Scientist Bill Young at the FSEC Florida Solar Energy Center and Monica D.
Whether you are looking at London leading on congestion charging, or San Francisco leading on solar power (with a system the size of a football field on top of its convention centre), it is clear that strong civic leadership matters most of all.
On top of the 30% federal tax credit, there are renewable certificates that solar-power owners can sell on a market that's similar to the carbon-emissions trading market.
应用推荐