THIN FILM SOLAR PANELS

Archive for July, 2011

The Japanese power distribution companies have failed to meet their renewable energy targets for the last financial year. 53 power utilities are required to procure a specified percentage of their total power mix from renewable energy sources. For financial year 2010, the power utilities were required to procure 11 billion kWh however, they could procure only 10.245 billion kWh, around 755,000 kWh or 755 megawatt-hours short of the requirement.

Japan aims to increase the renewable energy share in its power mix to 16 billion kWh by 2014. According to the latest data available, over 330,000 renewable power generators have been accredited under the Renewables Portfolio Standard with a combined generation capacity of over 12,630 MW.

Biomass-based power generators hold the biggest share in the RPS mechanism with over 9,600 MW capacity accredited. Wind energy generators have secured accreditation for over 1,600 MW while solar power generators contribute over 1,200 MW capacity. The balance generation capacity hydro power and geothermal-based power generators.

The shortfall in the RPS obligation is yet another wake-up call for the Japanese power sector as it struggles to refine its energy policy following the Fukushima nuclear accident. Japanese power companies have switched to other conventional fuels like natural gas for power generation following the shutdown of country’s nuclear power plants.

But merely switching to other conventional fuels is not a sustainable solution to the power crisis as they a) are expensive and getting even more expensive and b) create the problem of carbon emissions as Japan has international obligation to reduce carbon emissions.

A long-term and sustainable solution to Japan’s energy problems acquires even more importance as the Trade ministry recently announced that all the 54 nuclear power reactors could be shutdown by 2012 if local communities object to their operation.

Japan recently announced that it will keep its target to reduce its carbon emissions by 25% by 2020 from 1990 levels.

Image via Waynenf

Ask me about some of my favorite activities during my childhood and you’ll hear me speak of PlayStation, racing, and cartoons. There are not many things that make me feel young now (sadly) but when I talk about some of my old favorite cartoons, that spark of youth still comes to my eyes; especially when you speak of…wait for it… Captain Planet. At the drop of a dime, I can still sing every word to the theme song with fervency and you don’t have to dare me. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that I would live to see the day that a Captain Planet movie would be in production. The time has come, though — Captain Planet is coming and in live-action to boot!

In case you don’t know who Captain Planet is, I’ll give you a few words to sum it up: the five rings of Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and Heart, worn by the Planeteers, summon forth an awesome superhero with a strong penchant for kicking the arses of Polluters, and that’s while wearing red speedos and green hair, too.

(And, yes, we are now summoning wind power, water power, and even earth power in great amounts to clean up our planet. While polluters fight this progress tooth and nail, there is a strong movement to make our world cleaner… and I think this film will help.)

Creators Behind Captain Planet Live-Action Film

Don Murphy, who has worked as a behind-the-scenes producer on all three transformers movies, and his production company (Angry Filmworks) are headlining the project in collaboration with the Cartoon Network. Not only are they aiming to make Captain Planet into a series of films, they truly want to tackle some of the serious environmental issues we are facing today and make a statement. MTV News was at a press release and got a hold of some of the big wigs behind the series for some questioning. Here are a few words from them:

“The messages of Captain Planet are even more relevant today,” said Stuart Snyder, president and COO of Turner Broadcasting System Inc.’s Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media division. “We feel this team can bring the world’s first eco-hero to life in a powerful motion picture that is not only pertinent but entertaining.”

“With the earthquakes, tornadoes, melting icebergs and all the other problems threatening the world right now, Earth really needs her greatest defender,” added Montford.

I see the sparks of a bit of controversy firing up. I’m willing to bet this movie will undoubtedly trigger some more debate on the environmental issues that people choose to acknowledge exist, or not (Global Warming anyone?). One thing you don’t have to bet on is whether or not I’ll be in the theater giddy from geekiness on opening night. I’ll be there,.. but I’m leaving the red speedos at home.

Go Planet, the power is yours!

Related Stories:

1. ZenRobotics Recycler Released
2. DIY Solar-Powered Scooter & Electric Bike {VIDEOS}
3. Electric Motors Use 45% of Global Electricity, Europe Responding {+ Electric Motor Efficiency Infographic}

Image via MelGX

Here are some of the top solar energy stories of the the week or so (other than what we’ve already covered). Enjoy!

1. Let Them Eat Cake and Build a Solar-Powered Recording Studio [Green Building Elements]
2. California solar development gets $77 million loan [Cooler Planet]
3. 50 MW of Solar? Make that 400 MW [Renewable Energy World]
4. BP Solar to stop panel sales, focus on projects [Reuters]
5. Where to Build in New York City? Team New York Looks Up [DOE]
6. Exclusive: Flurry of solar farms rush to meet looming FiT deadline [Business Green]
7. And the Award Goes to… Silicon Ink Solar Technology Supported by SunShot’s PV Incubator [DOE]
8. Nissan using old Leaf batteries in new solar charging stations [cnet]
9. Soitec Raises More Than $100M for CPV [Greentech Media]
10. Britain’s Biggest Solar Field (5MW) Built in Just 6 Weeks! [TreeHugger]

Front Page Image via Living Off the Grid

Let’s add two more people to the “who wants to make a change?” list. Julia Silverman and Jessica Matthews have come up with another means to fight the battle against the lack of electricity in developing and third world countries. How, you ask? Through the use of a soccer ball.

As part of a Harvard undergraduate group project, the two students have come up with a way to harness the force of energy behind a moving soccer ball. Every time you kick, hit, or throw the ball, the kinetic energy  is harnessed and stored inside the soccer-ball-shaped battery. sOccket, as the product is named, when played with for 15 minutes can collect enough energy to power an LED lamp for three hours. Simply plug an LED light into the sOccket (pun intended of course) and you’re good to go.

What an ingenious idea considering that soccer is the most popular sports game in the world, especially in developing and third world countries where other indoor luxuries and entertainment aren’t so easily afforded. So far, sOccket has been tested in Spain, Haiti, South Africa and Nigeria. Testing in these various countries has led to some significant improvements in the final product. The look of the ball has been changed and it has been refashioned to be a lot sturdier than the prototype, something that is needed since the target group for sOccket most likely won’t be able to afford replacements easily. The original was said to last for a few months but the final product, which will be showcased in August or September, can supposedly last for at least a year.

 

SOccket is thought to be able to power more than just an LED lamp, but as to what other products it can power… the jury is still out. So far, Matthews and Silverman have been hush hush on other types of electrical equipment that sOccket will support. Matthews and Silverman have plans bigger than the sOccket soccer ball and are in the process of creating a sOccket basketball due out by next year.

Score one for the good guys.

Related Stories:

1. Recycled Plastic Soccer Jerseys for Major International and Professional Soccer Teams — the Netherlands, Brazil, Barcelona, Arsenal, and More
2. Energy Efficient Lighting: Key to Solving Our Climate Change Crisis
3. Researchers Develop Super-Efficient LED Light

Photos via  soccket.com

Let’s add two more people to the “who wants to make a change?” list. Julia Silverman and Jessica Matthews have come up with another means to fight the battle against the lack of electricity in developing and third world countries. How, you ask? Through the use of a soccer ball.

As part of a Harvard undergraduate group project, the two students have come up with a way to harness the force of energy behind a moving soccer ball. Every time you kick, hit, or throw the ball, the kinetic energy  is harnessed and stored inside the soccer-ball-shaped battery. sOccket, as the product is named, when played with for 15 minutes can collect enough energy to power an LED lamp for three hours. Simply plug an LED light into the sOccket (pun intended of course) and your good to go.

What an ingenious idea considering that soccer is the most popular sports game in the world, especially in developing and third world countries where other indoor luxuries and entertainment aren’t so easily afforded. So far, sOccket has been tested in Spain, Haiti, South Africa and Nigeria. Testing in these various countries has led to some significant improvements in the final product. The look of the ball has been changed and it has been refashioned to be a lot sturdier than the prototype, something that is needed since the target group for sOccket most likely won’t be able to afford replacements easily. The original was said to last for a few months but the final product, which will be showcased in August or September, can supposedly last for at least a year.

SOccket is thought to be able to power more than just an LED lamp, but as to what other products it can power… the jury is still out. So far, Matthews and Silverman have been hush hush on other types of electrical equipment that sOccket will support. Matthews and Silverman have plans bigger than the sOccket soccer ball and are in the process of creating a sOccket basketball due out by next year.

Score one for the good guys.

Related Stories:

1. Recycled Plastic Soccer Jerseys for Major International and Professional Soccer Teams — the Netherlands, Brazil, Barcelona, Arsenal, and More
2. Energy Efficient Lighting: Key to Solving Our Climate Change Crisis
3. Researchers Develop Super-Efficient LED Light

Photos via  soccket.com