One atom layer to ‘free the electrons’
Scientists from the University of Kansas say adding a layer of two-dimensional semiconductor molybdenum disulfide can greatly improve the performance of organic solar cells. The research could also inform efforts to engineer the interface between layers in hybrid organic cells.
Tri-State dumps coal, eyes wind and solar as new fling
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association has announced it is creating an aggressive “Responsible Energy Plan,” one which begins with the retiring of the 100 MW Nucla Coal Plant in early 2020.
HB 6 sent back to House, Berkeley bans gas in new buildings: pvMB 7/18/19
Hello one and all and welcome to this morning’s edition of the pvMB. Today we’ll be tackling Renew Petra adding 100 MW to the U.S. annually, SimpliPhi adding capacity and lowering prices and more!
Sunrun gets a second contract to supply capacity from rooftop solar + batteries
A California Community Choice Aggregator has awarded Sunrun a contract to supply capacity from solar + storage on low-income housing. This follows on a similar deal in New England.
A pocket chart to maximize solar power deployment
Researchers have built a matrix outlining how solar power in various deployment models generates benefits greater than just clean electricity. This will help policy makers maximize energy decisions with limited resources.
Waste heat is not cool, say scientists
Engineers at the University of Utah have developed a tiny device which they say could increase the performance of PV panels and other electronic devices by converting energy lost as heat back into electricity.
The United States is headed for a battery breakthrough
A new report released by the U.S. Department of Energy projects that installed battery storage will reach 2.5 GW by 2023. Florida and New York are set to pave the way, as massive projects in each of those states will account for nearly half of the coming volume.
Toyota’s super-high efficiency solar car, Numbers for New York’s energy transition: pvMB 07/09/19
Happy Tuesday and welcome to this edition of the pvMB. On this fine, fine, Tuesday we’ll be looking at five states choosing solar, wind and storage over gas, the Glendale power plant replacement plan, POWERHOME Soalr’s CEO winning an award, and more!
‘Turbocharging’ silicon PV: MIT scientists scratch the surface of singlet exciton fission
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a device they say could “turbocharge” a single-junction silicon PV cell, pushing the technology beyond its theoretical limit to efficiencies of 35% and higher.
When the battery is a building
AES announced the groundbreaking of its Alamito Energy Center, a 100 MW / 400 MWh battery for electric utility SoCalEdison, which is being constructed as a full on building – much like a data center.
