# MIT research leads to a 10x increase in solar output



## begreen (Jul 20, 2008)

This is a cool application of existing technology. It increases solar cell output by a magnitude by concentrating the light along the edges of the glass or plastic panel. 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9988923-54.html?hhTest=1

If you have access to Science, you can read the full details:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/321/5886/226


----------



## begreen (Aug 2, 2008)

More MIT lab breakthroughs announced today. This is good stuff!

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html


----------



## karl (Aug 2, 2008)

I saw the first one on google news and was like wow!  If they can increase it ten fold then we're in business for solar power.  The  electorlysis thing would be a perfect compliment to it.  Maybe soon, we will be asking how much water storage do i need for my tv and not my boiler.


----------



## Adios Pantalones (Aug 2, 2008)

Hells yeahs.  Might could afford it now... when commercialized


----------



## Mo Heat (Aug 2, 2008)

This is a familiar statement, I hope more comes of it than usual.

_with a goal to make the large scale deployment of solar energy within 10 years._

Another great sounding idea! Like perhaps, cold fusion? I hope these guys are really onto something. So many of these things sound great when discovered and are then simply left behind somewhere to languish as we continue to fill our tanks with $4/gallon gas.

I hope this thing gets off the ground and is truly affordable, but they did mention platinum, which it kind of pricey at around $1800/ounce. I'm not sure how much cobalt costs. Haven't bought much of that lately.  If I'm reading this correctly, it costs about $30/lb. Not bad. http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/metals/co/co.asp

Mo, Whose favorite color is Cobalt blue and whose sign is Libra.


----------



## webbie (Aug 2, 2008)

Just looked at my electric bill for the first time in a LONG time, and I can definitely say that solar is getting more competitive!

Solar electric is about 25 cents a KWH now. I am paying about 18 cents.

Yes, that is a big difference, but it is not pie-in-the-sky.

Large solar thermal plants (desert located boilers) are now at 10-12 cents per KWH for large projects.

I really think we are there....the pace of development is picking up like crazy. 

Remember...that if I buy a flat screen TV which uses 1/2 the electric of my old tube model....then 25 cents a KWH is actually cheaper than I am paying now. Same with computers, a lot of appliances and possible even cars. So the combination of more respect for energy (conservation/efficiency) plus increased R&D;will do wonders.


----------



## begreen (Aug 3, 2008)

Mo Heat said:
			
		

> This is a familiar statement, I hope more comes of it than usual.
> 
> _with a goal to make the large scale deployment of solar energy within 10 years._
> 
> ...



I appreciate your skepticism Mo. I've had my fair filling of technology not showing up too quickly too. But this seems inevitable. It may take a new administration that fosters new technologies, but it will happen. Has to, we don't have a lot of alternatives in the long run.


----------



## Mo Heat (Aug 3, 2008)

Glowball Worming Bust said:
			
		

> CFL's are more of a disposal hassle



Home Depot just announced via a TV commercial in Missouri, that they are accepting CF bulbs for recycle. Just bring 'em in and drop 'em off. Pretty convenient of you have a HD close like I do. Now I don't have to worry about what to do with the things when they burn out.

BTW: If a CF bulb breaks inside the house, you have a major headache, so be careful with those things. The mercury they contain is more dangerous than the stuff found in watch batteries. Here's what you're supposed to do. Your mission, should you decide to accept it... Good luck...

EPA recommended clean-up procedure of broken CFL bulb:

http://homerepair.about.com/od/electricalrepair/ss/cfl_epa_cleanup.htm

EPA recommended disposal, uhhh, I mean recycling, of "dead" CFL bulbs:

http://homerepair.about.com/od/electricalrepair/ss/CFL_recycling.htm


----------



## Cluttermagnet (Aug 5, 2008)

This mercury 'gotcha' is making those still expensive LED lamps in Edison bases look pretty darned good. Except that it would cost a fortune to change over an entire household right now. Prices need to drop on the LED types.

Ditto on the solar arrays. Maybe the gurus at MIT have something for us, at last. We shall see...


----------



## TMonter (Aug 5, 2008)

> Large solar thermal plants (desert located boilers) are now at 10-12 cents per KWH for large projects.



Only after tax incentives. They still don't pencil out on their own and the problem is the areas where you can locate solar thermal really don't need the power. I think we're going about this the wrong way we should be upgrading transmission infrastructure and reducing line losses in high population centers.


----------



## Telco (Aug 5, 2008)

TMonter said:
			
		

> > Large solar thermal plants (desert located boilers) are now at 10-12 cents per KWH for large projects.
> 
> 
> 
> Only after tax incentives. They still don't pencil out on their own and the problem is the areas where you can locate solar thermal really don't need the power. I think we're going about this the wrong way we should be upgrading transmission infrastructure and reducing line losses in high population centers.



We need to do that anyway, with the first requirement being all lines must be buried.  This would end the copper stealing, pole breaking, and winter ice line breaking.   This would reduce maintenance costs enormously, and contribute to the aesthetics of everywhere.  It would also increase CBUD calls, as backhoe drivers would be less willing to dig into a possible 30,000V power line.  Not to mention the need to supply power to millions of plug-in cars as everyone plugging in at night will put far more of an electrical load on the grid than air conditioners do.  If the current grid can't handle the current air conditioning load, there's no way it'll handle millions of cars AND the air conditioning load.


----------

