The University of Delaware has inched up the record for solar cell efficiency with a new device that can convert 42.8 percent of the light that strikes it into electricity. That beats the old record of 40.7 percent hit in December. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has been funding research to get efficiency up to 50 percent.

The cell, created by Christina Honsberg and Allan Barnett of UD, splits incoming light into three buckets: high energy, low energy, and medium energy light. The light is then directed to different materials, which then extract electrons out of the photons that make up sunlight.

Various materials (silicon, germanium, etc.) react differently to different parts of the solar spectrum. Crystalline solar cells, for instance, can currently convert 22 percent of light into electricity (without concentrators). The theoretical maximum is 29 percent sans concentration. Combining different materials into multi-junction cells or adding concentrators helps get around the limitations of the materials.

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Technologies collectively known as concentrating photovoltaics are starting to enjoy their day in the sun, thanks to advances in solar cells, which absorb light and convert it into electricity, and the mirror- or lens-based concentrator systems that focus light on them. The technology could soon make solar power as cheap as electricity from the grid.

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n Europe, the electric bike is now the fastest-growing category of bikes in terms of sales. You can buy the less expensive electric bikes at certain Wal-Marts and Target stores. You can also order them on-line or through a bike shop.

Electric bicycles are gaining in popularity around the world, not only as a way to get a little more pedal power as you ride but also as an environmentally-friendly alternative to driving. Imagine riding a bike up a hill without straining, gasping for breath or slowing down.

Meet the electric bicycle. It looks like any other bike and comes in all shapes and sizes but the batteries are concealed.

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China’s bicycle industry has been developed rapidly. In 2006, the total bicycle output has reached 85 million across the country with the export of 56 million, which accounted for 70 percent of the world bicycle trade volume. Electric bicycle industry has grown rapidly during the recent five years, and the annual sales reached 19.5 million in 2006 with an increase of more than 60 percent compared with that in 2005. Seeing the change from heavy bicycles and light bicycles 10 years ago to sport bicycles and folding bicycles today, we can find the quality level of bicycles is increasingly high. Electric bicycles also have developed from only one or two old simple types in early time to nearly 100 styles of luxury, light motorized and high-grade lithium battery at present. Big change and rapid update shaped the first feature in the bicycle market.

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Fortunately there are people that have ventured beyond the question of whether the refrigerator light actually goes off when the door is closed. And they have developed a more energy efficient lighting system for refrigerator cabinets. Now you might be asking: “Why is his a priority? Did they conclude it stays on?” The new LED system designed by Poly Optics is actually aimed at the large commercial units that are often open or feature glass doors. The owners, mostly retailers, of these units want the contents to be well lit without generating excessive heat or consuming more power than is necessary.

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The National Commission on Entrepreneurship has published a report on Entrepreneurship and American Economic Growth. The report is available as a PDF here:

http://www.zeromillion.com/files/embracing-innovation.pdf

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Prior to the OPEC Embargo of the 1970s, Dubai was a fishing village. When our politicians were killing off the alternative energy programs during that same decade, there began a wholesale transfer of wealth out of the United States. Now that the equity draw-down is almost complete, your elected representatives want you to believe that they have the answer. They want you to ignore the fact that they are almost wholly owned and operated by those controlling the incumbent energy concerns. They want you to accept the notion that “too much dependence on foreign oil” is a new revelation as if it wasn’t the hot topic during the 1970s. Perhaps they are right and the electorate does have the attention span of a gnat. Look and see what a tenfold increase in the price per gallon of gas is buying you now.

The Turgo turbine is an impulse type turbine; water does not change pressure as it moves through the turbine blades. The water’s potential energy is converted to kinetic energy with a nozzle. The high speed water jet is then directed on the turbine blades which deflect and reverse the flow. The resulting impulse spins the turbine runner, imparting energy to the turbine shaft. Water exits with very little energy. Turgo runners may have an efficiency of over 90%.

Pax Scientific, a US technology company, has developed a fan technology based on the logarithmic spiral found in seashells. The fan offers huge energy savings and is a great deal quieter than most other fans.

See a video explanation by Janine Benyus of the Biomimicry Guild. Watch Video

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Ferrocement is a technique that combines the flexibility of iron (steel) and the resistance of cement. It facilitates the building of many interesting forms: round, circular; globular, spherical; cylindrical; curved … and straight and angular of course. Here this is being used to construct a water treatment tank in EcoOca – Brazil.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7IGsG0TzUo]

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