Solar + solar power

Toshiba enters domestic solar power market

March 2nd

Toshiba Corp., in collaboration with SunPowerCorp (US), will be selling monocrystal Silicon-type solar energy crystal modules for residential solar battery systems from 1 April 2010. Toshiba said that it decided to start the residential solar battery system to help promote their all-electric or smart-grid businesses. In the future, Toshiba plans to sell its solar battery systems with second-generation Li-ion batteries (SCiB) combined with “smart meters”. The residential solar battery systems that Toshiba plans to sell will have solar battery modules, power conditioners (power conversion efficiency of 94%), and color monitors, all supplied by out-sourced suppliers.

JPEA's 26th Solar Power Generation Systems Symposium

November 11th

Low-carbon steel-producing companies have joined a growing international trend of implementing and assisting the establishment of a system to regulate the buying and selling of surplus solar power from residential power generation systems, and establishing a domestic market to develop this on a large scale in Japan.

This is the 26th Symposium of the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA), and it will provide a complete picture of the current and future state of solar power generation in Japan, as well as the present state of technical development, and business and government policy related to solar power.

Sun Rises on Singapore's First Solar EV Charging Station

September 9th

Singapore has started its first electric vehicle charging station, situated at the Singapore Polytechnic Institute it uses solar power to build up charge to transfer to EV cars.

The stand alone off-grid solar charging station traps sunlight using four roof mounted panels, generating an average of of 3.15 kWh a day, or four electric scooters a day.

DuPont Applying Solar Film in Shenzen China

September 2nd

DuPont is replacing glass windows in a limited number of buildings in Shenzen China in a attempt to break into what it intends to be a large market for its solar products. They are also involved in the nascent coop between Hong Kong SAR and the Shenzen Municipal Govt.

Additionally DuPont is building a factory in Shenzen which will be in operation as early as November 2009.

China, Europe, US gear up for big solar push

August 25th

As complementary pressures from both the cost of fossil fuel and the impact of climate change drive the industrial powers toward renewable energy alternatives, government spending, subsidies and support for solar power generation and solar technology innovation are on the rise. China now claims more than 15% of the global production of polysilicon, used in solar panels, and more than 25% of solar modules. The Chinese leader in the field is SunTech an industry giant poised to become the world's second-largest producer of solar modules, fresh off the production of one of the most efficient commercial solar cells (as opposed to experimental or design phase solar cells).

Toshiba and Chubu Electric Power Collaborating on new Power Plant

August 21st

On 19 August, Toshiba Co. and Chubu Electric Power Co. announced the development of a solar power plant capable of supplying power for about 2000 residential homes. They are now accepting orders for construction of a power generation plant capable of producing 7500 kilowatts of power, all of which, including construction, generators and machinery, has been contracted in one complete order.

Builders provide big discounts for solar energy/co-generation homes.

August 10th

Residential homebuilders are providing discounts for homes equipped with solar power devices as competition increases. Led by major companies, like Sekisui House, and also mid-sized companies like Sanyo Homes, an offer of free installation of 3 Kilowatt power solar units is being made to homeowners until the end of August.

Green is good (in Japan)

August 10th

Whatever the merits or otherwise of the practical implementations of Japanese environmental awareness (e.g. my local neighborhood's definition of "burnable" trash, which includes plastic that produces noxious fumes when incinerated), anything with "eco" in its name or description immediately has a stronger sales position than anything without. Witness the "eco-point" system, whereby anyone trading in their old "clunker" air-conditioner, fridge or TV for a new "eco" model would collect "eco points". Sales of such items shot up and people happily collected their "eco points".

Singaporean Communications Company Installs Solar Powered Cell Phone Base Station

August 8th

Singaporean communication company Starhub has installed a solar powered cell phone base station at its main office in the city. The system consistes of 20 solar panels. Starhub expects to consume 58% of its energy via the solar grid. This initial installation is a beta, being used only by Starhub employees. They expect to roll out usage later in the year.

The project is part of Starhub's green projects, the aim of which is to lower its total power consumption.

Advances in chemistry hold promise for solar generation and hydrogen storage

August 5th

Recent work at MIT, in the Nocera Group headed by Daniel Nocera, have given a much needed boost to proponents of the solar and hydrogen energy economy by providing some breakthrough technology allowing the use of solar energy to electrolytically crack water into hydrogen and oxygen gases with low cost and low energy investment.