A University of Arizona engineering team led by Roger Angel has designed a new type of solar concentrator that uses half the area of solar (PV) cells used by other optical devices and delivers a light output/concentration that is over 1000 times more concentrated before it even hits the cells.
This comes as a result of a broader goal to make solar energy cost competitive with fossil fuels (target = 1$/W) without the “need for government subsidization.” *
Solar concentrators — optical systems of lenses, reflectors, and photo-voltaics — have been developed before, but for Angel and his team, their innovation was the result of rethinking the entire concentrator concept. This new “energy telescope” focuses incident light, via reflectors, through a ball lens, which then emerges 400 times more concentrated; a second series of funnels then triples this concentration (reaching concentration levels up to 1200 times the “geometric concentration”).
Astronomy professor Angel, who directs the Mirror Lab at the UA Steward Observatory, has been at the forefront of a technological renaissance in telescopes and large optics. His explorations include concepts for imaging and searching for primitive life on Earthlike planets and ways to cool the Earth with myriads of sunshades deployed in space. Most recently, he has developed a prototype of a photovoltaic system with the potential of revolutionizing solar power generation in a way that dramatically increases efficiency and lowers cost.
For the latest news on the REhnu website, the company Mr. Angel formed to get this idea to market click here: http://www.rehnu.com/news
One city in France was wide-awake early in the trend of going green. Located on the country’s west coast, La Rochelle now has an eco-transport system to be proud of.
La Rochelle in western France isn’t just a beauty spot, it’s a city whose green credentials leave others green with envy.
What’s become the city’s grand project all began in 1976 with hire bikes, an idea many other cities are only now beginning to adopt themselves.
These pick-up-and-drop-off bicycles are available all over town.
With a monthly subscription of 25 euros they’re free for the first half hour, then half a euro per hour.
Users simply swipe a card and off they pedal.
The swipe-and-hire system now includes electric cars.
Local resident Peggy Landon explains why she sold her car when she started using the system.
[Peggy Landon, Local Resident]:
”Well it’s obviously much, much cheaper. But I think also the other aspect that I really like is the sharing aspect of a car; everybody doesn’t need to have their own car.”
Next came electric boats … park and ride … and even deliveries.
To cut congestion goods are dropped outside the center and delivered by electric vans.
On top of keeping La Rochelle clean and green, local Vice President Denis Leroy is keen to transform the citizens as well as the city.
[Denis Leroy, Local Vice President]:
“The coming generation will not own their own car, it is less into cars than us, it is our generation that put the car everywhere. The car is a practical object so they use it for the time they need it and, seeing how much cars cost, they would rather spend their money elsewhere.”
The plan is to get people out of private cars, onto the streets and back into the community.
Peggy is certainly a convert.
[Peggy Landon, Local Resident]:
”To do something like this, to use these electric cars, what I feel is that it makes you want to do more for the environment. And to try and maybe explore other different possibilities where we can each do just one little thing to make a difference,” said Landon.
City authorities say this is more than just going green, it’s a philosophical vision.
La Rochelle is blazing a trail and those who are green with envy are keen to follow suit.
A very inspiring talk with real solutions from existing technology.
How can architects build a new world of sustainable beauty? By learning from nature. At TEDSalon in London, Michael Pawlyn describes three habits of nature that could transform architecture and society: radical resource efficiency, closed loops, and drawing energy from the sun.
There will never be another day like today… but there will be an endless stream of moments as you are reading this.
At 11:11:11, I would like to invite you to spend 11 minutes to visualize and FEEL everything you would like to see in your world.
There are many energies unseen and seen that have and are lining up for a truly awesome new world.
And the universe is conspiring to do this with us. How do we become a cooperative component in this alignment?
“Get Happy” and continue to step into your joy… deliberately.
Thank you for being yourself and sharing your light during this most amazing of times!
Parallel Universes is a 2001 documentary produced by the BBC’s Horizon series. The documentary has to do with parallel universes, string theory, M theory, supergravity, and other theoretical physics concepts. Participants include Michio Kaku, Paul Steinhardt, and other physicists.
“If you had three people sun-bathing, they would collect that amount of sunshine, [and] despite having to travel 93 million miles, [that amount of] energy from the sun can melt rock.”
Cameron Herold: Let’s raise kids to be entrepreneurs
For 20 years, Cameron Herold has been coaching entrepreneurs on five continents, helping them build their companies. He started BackPocket COO to coach and mentor young, fun companies — and help them make their dreams happen.
Herold was a leading force behind one of the most successful new business ventures of the last decade, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. He was Chief Operating Officer for nearly seven years. Prior to that, he was VP of Corporate Development at Ubarter.com.
“Start building a network of fellow entrepreneurs that understand your passion and don’t make you feel guilty about always chasing it.”
Cameron Herold
“Conscious Business”, “Conscious Capitalism” and “Natural Capitalism” are terms used to describe a business enterprise that seeks to be aware of the effects of its actions, and to consciously affect human beings and the environment in a beneficial way. They also refer to a movement towards “Values-based” economic value, where “Values” represent social and environmental concerns globally as well as locally. These movements have emerged from the theory of Corporate Social Responsibility, and is currently related to movements of Not Just For Profit Business Models, Conscious Consumerism, and Socially Responsible Investing. Most conscious businesses subscribe to a Triple Bottom Line model of success for their business endeavor. They aim to provide positive value in the domain of People, Planet, and Profit.
David Blood: The Case for Sustainable Business - Gresham College
TEDxToronto - Bruce Poon Tip “Beyond the Triple Bottom Line”
Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens. — Kahil Gibran
SolarEnurgy.net is powered completely by solar, wind and renewable energy to the tune of 130% of the data center power consumption, so we're not only neutralizing our carbon footprint, but also pumping an extra 30% of green energy back into the power grid! A light footprint.
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