New Solar Cell Material Is 23% More Efficient, Captures Infrared Light

Spain (TGW) – Researchers in Spain have developed a new material that can absorb infrared light, in contrast to today’s solar cells which only absorb visible light.
Because infrared light makes up half of the sun’s output that reaches the Earth, current solar cells that can only absorb visible light have a theoretical absorption limit of 40%, and only 30% in practice.

The new material, because it can capture both types of light, has a theoretical limit of 63%.

Researchers led by Perla Wahnon added titanium and vanadium into a conventional semiconductor, giving the material its special properties.

Via :: New Scientist

World's Largest Wind Farm To Date Approved in Oregon

Oregon (TGW) – The construction of the world’s largest wind farm to date took a big step forward this week when the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council gave its approval of the project.


The Shepherd's Flat Wind Farm will have 303 wind turbines and a peak capacity of 909 megawatts.

The current largest wind farm in the world is Horse Hollow in Texas at 736 megawatts and 421 turbines.

Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens has plans to build a 4000 megawatt farm by 2014.

Via :: Portland Business Journal

First Driver-Caused Tesla Crash

San Francisco (TGW) – The unnamed owner of Tesla #6 crashed his $98,000 car last Friday, it has been revealed.


The Tesla ended up between a Mercedes and a Toyota Camry, according to pictures taken by eyewitness Alex Volkov.

It was originally believed a Tesla engineer caused the accident, not according to Darryl Siry, Tesla’s Vice President of Marketing: “It was a Tesla customer who got into that accident. We're aware of it because we service our vehicles.”

Volkov said in an interview that those who were around at the time of the accident told police officers that the Tesla was silent, unnoticed, and small. However, Volkov noted, the front car’s “sudden stop ignited it [the accident]”. As well, the Tesla driver was trying to “go bumper to bumper between the cars.”

“The rear-ending caused [the Tesla driver] to go under the car in front of him -- my guess is that's why the airbags didn't deploy,” said Siry.

Via :: Hey! :: EVcast :: Wired




Photos via Alex Volkov

...And We're Back

So we're back. Tomorrow regular service will resume, but for today only, here's a list of some of the most exciting stories from the past four weeks:

EcoTech Daily: Dirt Cheap Dye-Sensitized Solar Passes Benchmark Test

Greentech Media: Prius to Get Solar Panels?

Greentech Media: Tesla Unveils Electric Sedan Model S

Green Wombat: First U.S. solar power plant factory goes online

Gas 2.0: Volkswagen to Produce Plug-in Hybrid in 2010

Technology Review: First gasification in North America to be built in Ottawa

Solve Climate: Georgia Judge Kills State's 1st Coal Plant in 20 Years

NYT: Cheney’s Office Said to Edit Global Warming Testimony

NYT: G8 Leaders Pledge to Halve Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050

NYT: U.S. Lifts Moratorium on Solar Projects

Inhabitat: Hot New Solar Hybrid by Mindset AG

Inhabitat: Giant Anaconda Tube Generates Energy from Waves

Inhabitat: Foster + Partners Build Green in Amsterdam

Inhabitat: Philippe Starck’s Designer Wind Turbine

MetaEfficient: 90% of Israeli Homes Have Solar Water Heaters

Greentech Media: MIT Technology can Increase Solar Efficiency by 50%

Greentech Media: New Turbine Design Improves Efficiency 10% at Low Wind Speeds

Popular Mechanics: Konarka says Solar Cells Successfully Produced with Inkjet Printer

New Scientist: Organic Dye Lets Window Panes Generate Electricity from the Sun

CNET: Tesla Roadsters Now Rolling off Production Line

EcoGeek: Solar Powered Bubble Plane is Awesome

Inhabitat: Volkswagen’s Car of the Future

Inhabitat: Ferrari Hybrid by 2015

AutoblogGreen: Honda Hybrid Looks Suspiciously Like Prius

Gas 2.0: ZPM’s 106 MPG Compressed Air Car

Reuters: Gore: 100% Renewable Energy by 2018

NYT: Court Rules ‘The Great Global Warming Swindle’ Unfair

New Scientist: Why ‘Global Warming Swindle’ Still Dangerous

Inhabitat: Mazda Unveils Fuel Efficient Crossover Car

Environmental Leader : Postal Service Wants to Green 90% of Fleet

Autoblog Green: Lightning GT Unveiled at the British International Motor Show

Greentech Media: Aptera Receives $24 Million in Funding

NYT: Mississippi River Reopened After Oil Spill

Gizmag: Converting Livestock Manure Could Power 2.9% of the U.S.

Science Daily: Eating Less Meat and Junk Food Could Cut Fossil Fuel Use in Half

Reuters: U.S. Army Works to Cut Its Carbon ‘Bootprint’