Solar Panel - SlashGear

Researchers watch polarons form for the first time

Shane McGlaun | Jan 5, 2021

Researchers at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University used an x-ray laser to watch and directly measure the formation of polarons for the very first time. Polarons are distortions in the atomic lattice in a material that forms around a moving electron in a few trillionths of a second and then disappear quickly. Despite their short duration, they do affect a material's behavior. They could be why solar panels made with lead hybrid perovskites can reach high efficiencies in the lab.

A new record has been set in solar cell efficiency

Shane McGlaun | Dec 15, 2020

Scientists worldwide are working hard to improve the efficiency of solar cells for several uses. A new record has been set for solar cell efficiency that could one day help harvest more power from the same surface area with the same amount of sunshine. Researchers have hit an efficiency of 29.15 percent in the perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell category.

Solar power Game Boy could change the gaming industry

Chris Burns | Sep 2, 2020

An entirely solar-powered gaming device - that's the dream. A team of researchers at TU Delft Sustainable Systems Laboratory believe they've got the key to get this conversation started in a big way. The project goes by the name Engage, and it looks a whole lot like an old-school Game Boy from Nintendo.

Goal Zero Yeti 500X adds 60W USB-PD and foldable Nomad 50 solar charger

Chris Davies | Mar 24, 2020

Goal Zero has added a new portable battery to its range, with the Yeti 500X promising fridge- and TV-powering levels of juice along with new portable solar panels to keep it charged up off-grid. The newest "portable power station" in Goal Zero's line-up, the Yeti 500X packs a 505 Wh battery as well as a 60W USB-PD port for USB-C Power Delivery compatible devices like laptops.

Tesla Solar Roof V3 is ready for scale as Elon Musk reveals “Solarglass”

Chris Davies | Oct 25, 2019

Tesla's V3 Solar Roof is finally ready for primetime, solar panels that look like regular roofing tiles and the latest step in Elon Musk's war on fossil fuels. The long-anticipated solar tiles take a different approach to most solar panel installations, being a true roof in themselves rather than requiring separate panels being mounted on an existing roof.

Goal Zero reveals Nomad 5 solar panel, Yeti home power gear, and Flip batteries

Brittany A. Roston | Jan 8, 2019

Sustainable and portable power company Goal Zero has announced a number of new products at CES 2019, including a new portable solar panel for USB devices, power banks in a variety of sizes, and a device that enables consumers to chain lead acid and lithium batteries together. Though the products won't be available until May, Goal Zero has thoroughly detailed each item ahead of their launch.

Chernobyl is producing power again, this time as a solar farm

Brittany A. Roston | Oct 8, 2018

Chernobyl's exclusion site, the location of the world's worst nuclear disaster, is now home to a giant solar farm featuring 3,800 solar panels. Energy produced at the farm will be sufficient enough to power 2,000 apartments, according to the companies behind it, marking the first time that region has produced power in years.

Caviar iPhone X Tesla sacrifices beauty for solar charging

JC Torres | Nov 3, 2017

Apple takes great pride in developing products that are as beautiful as they are useful. Although some will argue that the latest iPhones have diverged slightly, they still have an air of elegance to them. Leave it to Russian company Caviar to take that long-standing philosophy and turn it on its head. From the company that brought you iPhones with Trump’s and Putin’s faces comes the iPhone X Tesla, a smartphone that charges via the sun by putting ribbed solar panels on the iPhone X originally fashionable glass back.

Audi wants to make your EV’s sunroof a solar panel

Chris Davies | Aug 23, 2017

Audi wants to integrated solar panels into the panoramic glass roofs on its cars, aiming to increase EV range courtesy of free solar energy. The German automaker has collaborated with Alta Devices, a subsidiary of Chinese thin-film solar cell maker Hanergy, on the project. Although not the first time solar panels have been baked into EVs, the claim is that this new system will be significantly more efficient.

iClever BoostCel Portable Solar Charger Review with 8000mAh battery

Brittany A. Roston | Jul 4, 2017

Summer is upon us and with it comes trips out into the wilderness. No doubt you'll be taking at least one gadget with you on your next camping trip, and that means you have keep charging in mind. While a large power bank will keep you up and running for a day or two, you'll need to get a solar panel if you need something more substantial. iClever has released a new solar panel product for this summer, one with an 8,000 mAh battery built into the case. How does it hold up? Read on to find out!

Tesla opens up solar roof pre-orders today [UPDATE]

Eric Abent | May 10, 2017

After revealing its solar roof to the world back in October, Tesla is now ready to open the flood gates. In the wee small hours of this morning, Elon Musk said that Tesla will be opening up pre-orders for its solar roof this afternoon. More information followed later, with Musk giving us an idea of just what to expect when pre-orders actually become available.

Tesla, Panasonic “inconspicuous” solar panels unveiled

JC Torres | Apr 10, 2017

While best known for its electric vehicles, Tesla, much like its founder Elon Musk, is a company with many interests. As part of its venture into batteries for its cars, Tesla has also dabbled in alternative sources of energy, particular solar energy. Together with Panasonic, it has embarked on a quest to not only make solar roof panels more efficient but also more fashionable. And that will be through Panasonic's new 325 watt panels that are designed to be so sleek and so low-profile that they can be installed on almost any pre-existing roof.