Will this incredible solar innovation by Ford make Holden irrelevant?

January 5, 2014 2017-10-25T10:08:11 by 70 Comments
solar panels on car

Those 3 x 100W Sunpower panels could power 75% of your trips.

Last week we discussed how remarkable innovation in the renewable energy sector will change the way  energy is sourced in buildings such as office blocks and factories. We looked at how recent developments in photovoltaics allow office windows to be both transparent enough to let in sufficient light, as well as sensitive enough to act as efficient mini solar panels.

This week sees us delve into the traditional Holden vs Ford wars, though with a renewable energy twist. [Read more…]

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Does Mildura CPV solar farm offer a glimpse of the future?

July 22, 2013 2017-10-25T10:13:27 by 5 Comments

 

cpv dishes

Pretty dishy solar farm technology! Pic: Solar Systems P/L

Always great to bring our readers news of an Aussie breakthrough. However this week’s opening of Silex Systems’ massive CPV solar farm in Mildura, Victoria may prove to be more than just a cheery news item. Indeed it may offer a look at solar power’s future in the country.

CPV is of course Concentrating Photovoltaics. which in Mildura is getting solar cell efficiencies over 40%. No that was not a misprint. Forty Percent. Four Zero. Wowzers! Read that Wikipedia link to find out how they do it…

Here at SQHQ we’ve issued a number of rants (er discussion documents that is) on CPV and Mildura. These can be downloaded from the dank and dusty SQHQ archives shed here (second left past the outside dunny): [Read more…]

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Silex steals the solar show

March 27, 2012 2017-10-25T10:28:46 by 1 Comment
solar concentrator mock up

We mocked up Silex solar’s concentrating solar technology in the SolarQuotes garden using our unwanted Shannon Noll Cds.

Good news stories about the Australian solar industry have been as rare as hen’s teeth lately. With the taking of the cudgels by state governments to the highly successful feed-in tariffs (can someone please explain that again — just one more time!), to the slow sinking of the fed’s Solar Flagships program, to the march out the door of Australian solar manufacturers, its been a grim time for solar fans.

[Read more…]

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