Siemens Solar (Camarillo, CA) announced that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently verified a new thin-film power module conversion efficiency record of 12.1 percent for Siemens Solar's ST40 large-area copper indium diselenide (CIS) thin-film module."With over 50 percent higher performance than other thin-film modules presently in the marketplace, this accomplishment demonstrates major progress toward […]
According to news reports, the Beijing Solar Photoelectric Center (BSPC) has begun commercial production of a solar-powered battery for mobile phone applications. The battery is designed to be recharged anytime using not only visible light, but also invisible light, such as ultraviolet and infrared rays. The battery can also be recharged using ac or dc […]
FPL Energy Inc. (Juno Beach, FL) and Central and South West Corp. (CSW, Dallas) announced that the first 19 of 107 wind turbines at the Southwest Mesa Wind Project are being interconnected with the Texas electrical grid. When fully energized, the project will become the state's largest wind energy generating facility, the companies stated. >/p>The […]
Collmer Semiconductor Inc. (Dallas) introduced a new line of Power Integrated Modules (PIMs) manufactured by Fuji Electric (Japan) for implementation of 230Vac...
EOS Corp. (Camarillo, CA) introduced its new MVLT60 Series, which is claimed to be the world's smallest and most efficient medically certified 60W ac/dc switching power supply. The MLVT60-3000 and MLVT60-1000 internally fitted open frame switching power supplies are half the size and more efficient than any 60W power supply available, according to Eos.The MLVT60 […]
York Research Corp. (New York) announced it has received a second windpower contract from TU Electric/Lone Star Gas. The new contract calls for the installation of four V-66 wind turbines, the largest in North America, on property adjacent to York's first 46 turbine windpower project in Big Spring, Texas. Energy deliveries are expected to commence […]
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE, Freiburg, Germany) recently announced the development of a low-voltage dc/dc converter that creates output voltages between 12 and 350V with a high efficiency from input voltages as low as 0.7V. According to ISE, the converter opens up new application possibilities for energy converters such as fuel cells, […]
International Rectifier (IR, El Segundo, CA) introduced its new IRF7811 and IRF7809, a pair of low-voltage HEXFET power MOSFETs. The chip set...
Morningstar Corp. (Washington Crossing, PA) introduced new models in its trio of solar controller product lines, the SunGuard, SunSaver and SunLight. All of the models provide PWM battery charging.The SunGuard-4 is a SunSaver charging circuit in a less expensive package and rated for 4.5A. Housed in an ABS plastic case, the unit provides PWM battery […]
Siemens Solar (Camarillo, CA) announced the immediate availability of its new CIS (copper indium diselenide) solar modules ST20 (20Wp) and ST40 (38Wp), which are claimed to considerably increase the power range of CIS thin-film modules. Like the previous 5W ST5 and 10W ST10 modules, the ST20 solar module is suited for battery-charging systems with low […]
Two utilities recently announced new wind power projects. Wisconsin Electric (Milwaukee) announced plans to build two new wind turbines specially designed to make optimum use of Wisconsin's lower wind speeds, and Green Mountain Energy (South Burlington, VT) announced an "upgrade" of its Wind for the Future renewable energy product to provide more energy from new […]
The Wind Turbine Co. (Bellevue, WA) announced the expansion of its board of directors with the addition of three outside directors. The new directors are Dr. Larry L. Berg, Leon G. Billings, and Tim Carlson. The company is developing a family of new utility scale wind turbines intended to produce very low cost wind generated […]
ScottishPower (UK) announced it is committed to developing 50MW of additional renewable resources when it merges with PacifiCorp (Portland, OR). According to Alan Richardson, who will become CEO of PacifiCorp following the transaction, the company will invest $60 million over the next five years in developing additional windpower, solar or geothermal resources. The combined company […]
Fire, Wind and Rain Technologies (Flagstaff, AZ) has introduced a new battery charger for solar electric systems that is claimed to deliver 25 percent more power from solar panels than competing models. The Power Advantage 30 battery charger combines power electronics with a high-speed processor. Using Fire, Wind and Rain's patent-pending Power Advantage II technology, […]
Ohio's first solar-school energy system under the national Million Solar Roofs Initiative was dedicated recently at Bluffsview Elementary School in Worthington, Ohio. Companies collaborating on the system included American Electric Power (AEP, Columbus, OH) and BP Solar (Fairfield, CA), as well as a number of local companies and government agencies.The program dedicated a 2,000W BP […]