Tag Archive for: solarpanels

With the help of a new solar module, the efficiency in the daily operation of heavy duty cargo bikes can be vastly improved.

New solar solution increases range of electric cargo bikes by up to 20%

Leading custom solar panel manufacturer OPES Solutions has partnered with the green logistics experts from Urban Mobility to equip e-cargo bikes with robust and lightweight solar panels. Developed especially for vehicles, the integrated solar solution provides up to 20% more range in delivery practice if the heavy payload of 250 kg plus driver is fully utilized.

The Germany based Urban Mobility GmbH has developed an heavy duty cargo bike for urban delivery services. The heavy duty UM CargoBike has a very large 2,0m³ cargo box and is classified as Pedelec25, an e-bike with a maximum speed of 25km/h. It can be operated tax-free, and without a driver’s license. Additionally, it can be used on bike lanes and some pedestrian areas. These aspects give it an enormous commercial and operational advantage compared to classic delivery trucks.

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Source: Automotive World

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Digital Realty unveiled two power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 158 MW of solar energy in California and Georgia.

Digital Realty to source 158 MW of solar in California, Georgia

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US data centres outfit Digital Realty (NYSE:DLR) today unveiled two power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 158 MW of solar energy in California and Georgia as a step toward 100% renewable electricity.

One of the deals is a 12-year contract that will support a new 130-MW solar project in Kern County, California being developed by US renewables developer Terra-Gen as part of its Edwards Sanborn Solar Storage energy project. The solar-plus-storage facility is expected to be completed late this year.

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Source: Renewables Now

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A better way to clean solar panels

Solar power is expected to account for 10% of global power generation by 2030, and much of that power is likely to be harvested in desert areas, where sunlight is abundant. But the accumulation of dust on solar panels or mirrors can reduce the output of photovoltaic panels by as much as 30% in just one month.

The regular cleaning that solar panels require currently is estimated to use about 10 billion gallons of water per year—enough to supply drinking water for up to 2 million people. Water cleaning also makes up about 10% of the operating costs of solar installations since water typically has to be trucked in from a distance and must be very pure to avoid leaving deposits on the surfaces. But waterless cleaning methods are less effective and labor-intensive and tend to scratch the panels, which also reduces their efficiency.

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Source: MIT Technology Review

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Tesla takes a 9400 mile, solar-powered road trip

A team of scientists from Australia and the UK are embarking on an epic, 9400-mile Tesla road trip across some of the most remote regions of the world– and they’re doing it on 100% solar power.

The project is called “Charge Around Australia,” and the team hopes to get Aussies to think about new ways to prevent climate change while showing off the range and flexibility of the electric Tesla sedan. Out in Australia’s most remote regions– where the scorching temperatures, vast distances, and lack of water simply prohibit comfortable human habitation– the project’s roll-up solar panels will be put to the ultimate test.

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Source: Clean Technica

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Santa Monica solar panel recycling pilot wraps up

Santa Monica solar panel recycling pilot wraps up

On June 27, 2018, the Santa Monica was awarded $50,000 in funding from the Household Hazardous Waste Grant Program of the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). The City worked with the California Product Stewardship Council and other partners to survey stakeholders, conduct outreach, and coordinate panel pickups from homeowners and solar installers.  The CA Conservation Corps picked up and hauled panels and a Universal Waste management company called CalMicro, recycled the panels.

Results
Overall, 281 working and non-working panels were collected from 8 locations for an estimated total recycling weight of 7,920 lbs.  The cost for hauling and recycling solar panels was about $0.62 per pound or $17 per panel.  An additional 78 working panels were diverted for reuse.

Next Steps
Since the pilot is concluded, the City does not have staff or budget to dedicate to processing solar panels at this time, however, there are Universal Waste recyclers in Southern California that are certified to process solar panels and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Los Angeles is accepting unwanted working panels.  The California Product Stewardship Council created a website dedicated to the proper handling of unwanted solar panels: calpsc.org/solarpanelstewardship.

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Source: City of Santa Monica

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MI universities may be developing the next big thing: clear solar panels

Silicon is king when it comes to solar panels, but the reign of that dark, opaque material could be near its end.

An unassuming stretch of windows on Michigan State University’s campus is poised to revolutionize solar energy, a fast-growing and increasingly prevalent source of power. The panes installed last year look like regular glass, but they harvest enough sunlight to power the lights in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences building’s atrium.

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Source: Detroit News

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