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‘Solar’ Stories

Machine prints 33-feet of solar cells per minute

, May 22nd 2013 Discuss [0]

There's are a variety of alternative sources of energy out there that break away from the traditional, environment-dampening methods used, some of them better tailored to certain locations than others. Solar power is one such source, and Australia is a prime location for such technology, offering many bright and sunny days. One of the biggest problems with solar power has been its cost, which may be changing in the near future thanks to a machine that prints a solar cell every 2 seconds. Read The Full Story

Sun emits 2013′s first two X-class solar flares

, May 14th 2013 Discuss [0]

The Sun has emitted its first two X-class solar flares of 2013, the first having happened on Sunday May 12, and the second yesterday. Both were relatively small in size, neither coming close to the record breaking X-flares of 2011 and 2012, yet were still powerful and resulted in spectacular images. Unlike the coronal mass ejection that happened back on April 12, these two were not directed towards Earth. Read The Full Story

Earl Android tablet is solar powered and battle-ready

, May 8th 2013 Discuss [0]

Most Android tablets are pretty much the same nowadays, traditionally. However, one company is looking to shake things up with an Android tablet that's meant for the outdoors person in all of us. The Earl, as it's called, is solar powered and comes with a thick robust outer shell to protect from the outdoor elements. Read The Full Story

Graphene paint aims to solar-power future homes and electronics

, May 4th 2013 Discuss [0]

Scientists from the University of Manchester have discovered that by combining Graphene, a one-atom thick layer of graphite, with the transition metal dichalcogenides, a material that can react to light, they are able to create a product that can generate electricity from sunlight. They can form thin sheets of the product that can be placed on buildings to absorb sunlight and turn it into electricity. Read The Full Story

Pilot to fly across US on solar-powered plane

, May 1st 2013 Discuss [0]

A major milestone for solar technology is coming up, as one pilot will be taking on the task of flying from San Francisco to New York on a plane that's powered only by solar energy. Bertrand Piccard will be taking off in a plane that he and his design partner André Borschberg call Solar Impulse, which has been in the works for almost 10 years. Read The Full Story

Space rock rips through ISS solar panel, gives hull a miss

, Apr 29th 2013 Discuss [0]

Space is a dangerous world. Debris is flying around everywhere, including small space rocks (read: bits of asteroid or meteoroid), which means that the International Space Station is constantly prone to getting hit by these small objects, and when you're traveling at 4.8 miles per second, even small objects can have a big impact. ISS Commander Chris Hadfield tweeted a photo of a hole in the one of the solar panels where a space rock ripped through. Read The Full Story

World’s largest solar power plant opens in Abu Dhabi

, Mar 19th 2013 Discuss [0]

The Middle East is known for their vast amounts of oil, and of course the money that comes from that oil. However, the region is also getting into renewable energy and alternative methods for providing electricity, most specifically the United Arab Emirates, which is now home to the world's largest solar power plant, located in Abu Dhabi. Read The Full Story

New Apple patent suggests solar-powered iPhone on the way

, Feb 6th 2013 Discuss [0]

Let's face it: battery life in smartphones is pretty awful, with only a few devices that are actually worthy of a battery-life crown. However, what if smartphones were powered by solar cells? That would basically change how we use devices, and we would essentially not have to worry about battery life anymore. A new patent from Apple may very well point to a possible solar-powered iPhone in the future. Read The Full Story

Scientists develop first all-carbon solar cell

, Nov 2nd 2012 Discuss [0]

Scientists at Stanford University have built the world's first all-carbon solar cell. Because carbon offers a combination of low cost and high performance, it is a viable alternative to current photovoltaic materials, which are expensive. This new solar cell is made from materials such as carbon nanotubes and "buckyballs". Read The Full Story

Scientists warn massive solar flare could harm power grid and satellites

, Aug 6th 2012 Discuss [0]

A group of scientists have put the world on alert that a massive solar flare could happen within the next two years that could harm power grids, communications, and satellites around the world. The scientists say that the risk of a massive flare that could harm systems on the earth increase as the sun reaches the peak of its 10-year activity cycle. The scientists say "governments are taking it very seriously." Read The Full Story

Walmart announces 100th solar installation in California

, Jul 31st 2012 Discuss [0]

You only have to set foot in most Walmart stores to know that the company wants to be green. For instance, in my local store, there are hordes of skylights all around the building in the ceiling and lights in the store turn off and on depending on how much light is coming through those skylights from the outside. That means you to be walking around and suddenly some of the lights turn off making the interior darker. I assume most Walmart locations use similar systems. Read The Full Story

Huge sunspot forebodes major solar flares

, May 8th 2012 Discuss [4]

An enormous sunspot observed on the sun over the weekend may portend problematic solar activity, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report. The cool area of the sun known as AR1476, which contains multiple sunspots big enough to see with even basic astronomy equipment, displayed complex beta-gamma magnetic fields as it passed within view of the Earth on May 6th. Read The Full Story
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