Helpful Housing- Fixing Global Warming, One House at a Time

     Everyone has heard of the huge and clunky solar cell that can rest on top of houses to create energy but a new and more stylish technology is making its way out into the housing market. SRS Energy has created a product called the Solé Power Tile in which each clay shingle can act like a powerhouse for energy. Each single has the ability to continually create energy that can be stored for the building to use at its convenience.
     Due to SRS Energy's creativity and innovation, it was awarded the “Best of What's New” award in the Home Technology category in 2009 from Popular Science Magazine for its Solé Power Tile because they not only created a roofing product that can harvest energy, but also incorporated a stylish design that can be blended into any Mission-Style roofing system without lowering the building's aesthetic value.
     Clay solar tile technology is categorized under Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) which are usually based off of either Thick Film cells (silicon based wafers) or Thin Film cells ( such as DSSC's). BIPV systems have been integrated into different aspects of the architecture of the buildings themselves in order to create a more environmentally friendly property. Photovoltaic technology has been incorporated into different parts of buildings such as walls, awnings, windows, roofs and more.
     Each BIPV system comes equipped with a photovoltaic module, a charge controller to regulate power, an energy storage system, power conversion equipment, backup power supplies and all of its respecting mounting and wiring hardware.
     It is hoped that in the long run, different forms of BIPV such as the Solé Power Tiles will be used increasingly amongst all house holds and will significantly decrease, if not eliminate the use of other more harmful methods of obtaining energy.
     Now just because a house can create its own energy, it does not mean that we should be stuck inside it. Coming soon is a look at how we can live a better life outdoors.


(Information provided by CleanTechnica)

Return of the Rainbow- Who Said Solar Cells Had to Look Boring?

     The Korean Institute of Technology has introduced a new method that allows a solar cell to absorb more light, making it more efficient than its previous amount of 11%. This development was lead by researcher Park Nam-Gyu who claims that this new discovery will improve power consumption by at least 50% making it more efficient and even more cost effective than it was before.
     Typically, a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is a semiconductor that has been created from a photosensitized anode and an electrolyte. The cell is made of porous TiO2 particles that are covered with a specific dye that interacts with its respective electrolyte.
     Nam-Gyu's team was able to improve this design by finding a way to have the TiO2 particles take in different colors of dyes that allow the cell to absorb a wider spectrum of light, which will, in turn, increase efficiency.
     This was achieved by copying a scientific method of chromatography that involves separating chemical compound from mixtures. This process works in two phases, including the stationary phase and the mobile phase. In order to form the different layers, the team was able to control the release and settling of the dyes. As a result they were able to vertically align yellow, red and green dyes within the TiO2 film. This alignment was validated by an electron probe micro-analyzer.
     It is expected that when the DSSC reaches a higher efficiency, they will become commercialized. This will cause a huge shift in the solar market from silicon based thick film solar cells into lighter dye sensitized solar cells that are expected to reach equivalent efficiencies at a significantly lower cost of production.
     Next up is a more homely approach to solar cell usage.


(Information provided by  PV-Tech)