Solar Power

NASA astronauts have completed a seven-hour spacewalk to prepare the International Space Station for the arrival of a new set of solar panels that will help support the ageing array that’s been serving the station since December 2000.

Picture solar panels, and you’re most likely picturing a solid square slab. But the tech is becoming more flexible, and now engineers at Pusan National University in Korea have developed prototype solar cells that are fully foldable.

Italian yacht design firm Lazzarini has unveiled designs for a solar-powered amphibious “crabmaran” that the studio says will be the first in the world. Dubbed Pagurus, the striking 82-ft catamaran merges solar technology and innovative design.

The International Space Station (ISS) is getting a major upgrade starting this year, as Boeing is tapped to deliver six new solar arrays. They will provide the orbital laboratory with up to 30 percent more electricity for research and commercial applications.

One drawback of current perovskite solar technology is the instability of the cells, a problem which scientists have taken a step toward addressing with a new design that incorporates an old organic pigment to keep things in working order.

Perovskite solar cells are rapidly catching up to silicon in efficiency, but continue to lag behind in production speed. Now Stanford has developed a new method of making perovskite solar cells at up to 40 ft per minute – even faster than silicon.

The British government has commissioned a new study into building an orbital solar power station by 2050. It will look into space-based systems that use giant solar arrays to generate electricity and beam it to Earth in the form of microwaves.

Perovskite solar is gaining much attention in solar cell research, but there are greener alternatives in the works. Scientists have just uncovered a new use for these materials, learning they can harvest energy from indoor lighting with high efficiency.

Snøhetta has completed a remarkably energy-efficient office in Norway. Powerhouse Telemark is estimated to produce more energy than it will require over its entire lifespan, including its construction and its eventual demolition in decades to come.

The state of South Australia met significant but short-lived milestone for renewable energy on Sunday October 11, when solar power provided all of its energy needs between midday and 1 pm – a first for a jurisdiction of its size.

Scientists in Australia have happened upon a solution to one of the key instability issues facing perovskite solar technology, finding that doses of high-intensity light can be used to avoid deformations that plague the performance of the cell.

Snøhetta nods to the past and plans for the future with its new city hall development in South Korea. The project will riff on traditional Korean design and incorporate sustainable features like solar power and rainwater collection.