Lightfoot has solar panels that can boost the scooter’s range by up to 20 miles in the summer, or 10 miles in the winter.

The Lightfoot electric scooter is wrapped in solar panels to address range anxiety

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Otherlab has announced a new electric scooter called the Lightfoot that can extend its range not by fast charging or quick battery swaps, but by soaking up the sun. The scooter is shrouded in two large solar panels that Otherlab says can extend its range by an extra three miles for every hour it’s left in the sun.

The company, which describes itself as an “independent research & design lab” bringing “new solutions in renewable energy,” is planning to make the Lightfoot available for preorder starting today. It will sell for $4,995 and delivery is expected as early as January, 2025.

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Source: The Verge

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Researchers at LUANAR tested a solar-powered milking device in Malawi, reducing milking time & improving efficiency, milk quality, and farmers' livesResearchers at LUANAR tested a solar-powered milking device in Malawi, reducing milking time & improving efficiency, milk quality, and farmers' lives

Solar milking tech boosts dairy farms in Malawi

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When Robert Mbendera started out as a small-scale dairy farmer in rural Malawi 20 years ago, milking the one cow he owned was an arduous, time-consuming process.

“It would take about 80 minutes to milk the cow—that’s 80 minutes in the morning and 80 minutes in the evening,” he told SciDev.Net.

“I would start imagining what a lot of hard work and expense it would involve if I were to have three or four cows.”

But this changed in 2020 when researchers at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) trialed a solar-powered milking device and water pumping system at Mbendera’s farm in the Dedza district of central Malawi.

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Source: PHYS.org

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Researchers from China have designed a novel building-integrated photovoltaics system that integrates a layer of PCM on each side of the wall

Building-integrated photovoltaic system integrating PCM on sides

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Researchers from China have designed a novel building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) system that integrates a layer of phase change material (PCM) on each side of the wall.

Dubbed double-PCM BIPV composite envelope (BIPV-dPCM), the new system was experimentally validated via a numerical model and was compared to reference systems. Per the results, it achieved superior thermoelectric coupling performance compared to all of the other systems.

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Source: PV Magazine

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Swiss firm Sun-Ways is testing a system to discreetly install solar panels between railway tracks, showcasing innovative photovoltaic design.

Invisible solar panels hide in railroad tracks to thwart critics

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Solar Panels In Railway Tracks: A Sensible Solution

Laying solar panels in between railroad tracks makes pretty good sense. The main criticisms of rural solar development involve appropriate land use and aesthetic issues, but those matters have long been settled for the many railroad rights-of-way criss-crossing the globe. Railroads are established, permitted, and permanent elements of modern infrastructure. Aside from freight yards and other busy parts of a rail system, railroads are also empty of traffic for long periods of time, allowing for ample sun exposure.

In addition, railroads can offer the solar industry the important element of flat and relatively level sites for development, without having to construct new access roads and other infrastructure. Although the flat configuration and the absence of tracking is not optimal for solar energy harvesting, that can be offset by the savings of reducing racking systems to the bare minimum. The railroad solution also enables developers to avoid disrupting natural habitats or taking space away from other potential land uses.

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Source: Clean Technica

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Turkey-based Ankara Solar Energy launched its own brand of walkable PV flooring for residential and commercial projects.

Solar PV flooring for residential, commercial use

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Ankara Solar Energy, a Turkish module manufacturer, has launched PV Floor, a line of solar panel products that double as anti-slip glass flooring. It is targeted at residential projects and commercial applications, such as shopping centers, driveways, parking areas, terraces, decks, and pedestrian zones.

The PV Floor brand was launched in Turkey and Greece in 2022, with European and USA markets now following.

“The return on investment (ROI) for a 1 kW system in Spain or Greece is typically 4 to 5 years,” an Ankara Solar spokesperson told pv magazine. “To complete the PV floor system, adjustable pedestals are required, and we provide these along with the products. There is no need for a steel or aluminum structure.”

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Source: PV Magazine

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Researchers hope the palm-size solar-powered robot will help monitor remote disasters and link telecommunications systems

Watch the world’s tiniest solar-powered robot take flight

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When disaster strikes in a remote location—an oil spill, for example—scientists and officials need eyes in the skies to monitor conditions from afar. Drones can swoop in to help, but short battery lives can limit their usefulness. Enter ColoumbFly, the world’s lightest and smallest solar-powered flying robot. Described today in Nature, researchers hope its design could inspire a new generation of robotic fliers that can link Wi-Fi networks, send photos, and accomplish other remote-monitoring tasks for long periods of time.

CoulombFly, designed by a team at Beihang University, is palm size and weighs just a little more than 4 grams. Unlike traditional tiny flying machines that use an electrified magnet to power their rotors, the CoulombFly’s motor is powered by the so-called Coulomb force—the force between electrically charged particles at rest. Here, a solar cell generates electricity and creates an electric field between oppositely charged plates aligned in a circle. The opposing charges, like repelling magnets, generate enough force to turn the blades of a rotor. That creates enough torque to propel the robot off the ground.

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Source: Science

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Dalaman Airport has unveiled the world’s largest solar roof, setting a new standard for renewable energy use in aviation.

World’s largest solar roof powers Dalaman Airport

Dalaman Airport has unveiled the world’s largest solar roof, setting a new standard for renewable energy use in aviation.

This innovative project, built on the terminal building’s roof, is a significant leap towards sustainability and showcases Dalaman Airport’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

One of Turkey’s busiest airports, Dalaman Airport has implemented a solar energy system capable of producing 10,230 MWh annually.

This project is designed to meet over 55% of the airport’s yearly energy needs, effectively preventing approximately 4,500 tons of CO₂ emissions each year—equivalent to preserving 200,000 trees.

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Source: ftn NEWS

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French startup unveils ‘low-carbon’ anodized aluminum solar carport

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French startup KparK Énergies has developed a solar carport with an anodized aluminum structure.

François Fougères, deputy general manager at KparK Énergies, told pv magazine that the company equips the carports with 425 W bifacial, double-glass panels. The system includes a matte white background to enhance the albedo effect, compensating for lower yield due to the PV system’s flat design.

The modules are flat-mounted and concealed from external view. They are connected to Enphase 8ac microinverters and a rail device for ventilation to prevent inverter clipping.

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Source: PV Magazine

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GoSun's solar charger can generate about 1,200 watts of energy, which is enough for most people’s daily commute to work.

Driving on sunshine: Car cover charges EVs with solar power

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Solar company GoSun has rolled out a foldable car cover that harnesses the power of the sun to add miles of range for EV drivers.

The solar cover, which can charge electric vehicles (EVs) with solar, is said to be able to provide about 30 miles of energy.

GoSun is currently known for its smaller-scale solar products, such as a solar-powered cooler that can keep drinks cold for longer. Now, the company plans to go bigger and charge EVs.

The EV solar charger folds up into a case on top of users’ car while driving, and then folds out over the car while parked.

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Source: NBC Los Angeles

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Now, in Scotland, the development of a hexagonal solar panel that could work even at night has just been announced.

Hexagonal solar panel that works at night: the mirror that will illuminate the Earth from the outside

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As you might expect, one of the biggest obstacles for photovoltaics is the nights of our planet. The panels maintain their ability to absorb light at all times, however, during long hours, they must remain inoperative. Now, in Scotland, the development of a hexagonal solar panel that could work even at night has just been announced.

A solar panel that still works at night? Yes, but it’s not the one you know from Tesla

While sunlight is an abundant and renewable resource and is even the oldest known source of energy, it is also true that obtaining electricity from the sun has proven to be a more complicated task than one might expect. Among other factors such as climate, the greatest difficulty in achieving a constant flow of energy to the solar batteries is the rotation of the earth.

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Source: Eco News

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