Tag Archive for: solarpower

An artist’s rendering of a crewed Martian biomanufactory powered by photovoltaics and capable of synthesizing food and pharmaceuticals, manufacturing biopolymers and recycling biological waste. (Artwork credit: Davian Ho)

Solar beats nuclear at many potential settlement sites on Mars

The high efficiency, light weight and flexibility of the latest solar cell technology means photovoltaics could provide all the power needed for an extended mission to Mars, or even a permanent settlement there, according to a new analysis by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley.

Most scientists and engineers who’ve thought about the logistics of living on the surface of the Red Planet have assumed that nuclear power is the best alternative, in large part because of its reliability and 24/7 operation. In the past decade, miniaturized Kilopower nuclear fission reactors have advanced to the point where NASA considers them to be a safe, efficient and plentiful source of energy and key to future robotic and human exploration.

Solar power, on the other hand, must be stored for use at night, which on Mars lasts about the same length of time as on Earth. And on Mars, solar panels’ power production can be reduced by the omnipresent red dust that covers everything. NASA’s nearly 15-year-old Opportunity rover, powered by solar panels, stopped working after a massive dust storm on Mars in 2019.

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Source: Berkeley News

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Repairing a solar array in space

Here on Earth, solar power is one of the ultimate sources of off-grid electricity. Unless you’re in the far north and don’t get sunlight half the year or you’re somewhere that’s frequently cloudy, it’s a very dependable source of electricity that can be used to charge batteries and power everything from a phone, to a small refrigerator ice chest, to a whole house or EV. So, it’s a great alternative.

In space, you have less of a choice. Even as close to earth as the International Space Station or China’s Tiangong Space Station, you can’t exactly drive to town to get more fuel for your trusty Honda generator. Not only are you always at least 250 miles from the nearest town, but getting things into earth orbit takes a lot of energy. Even if your old lawnmower-engined generator could work in space (it can’t run without oxygen), bringing fuel for the thing would be prohibitively expensive.

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Source: Clean Technica

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Concentrated solar-thermal power harnesses the sun's energy without photovoltaic panels, using mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays.

A different kind of solar power attracts attention

When you think of solar energy, you probably picture the photovoltaic panels that capture sunlight to be converted to electricity. But there are other ways to harness the sun’s power. One method attracting growing interest is called concentrated solar-thermal power, or CSP, which uses mirrors to reflect and concentrate the sun’s energy.

CSP has been held back by technical challenges and a shortage of funding and government incentives compared with other sources of renewable energy. But as the sense of urgency about replacing fossil fuels continues to grow, spurring demand for carbon-free energy, a number of increasingly well-funded entities are trying to improve the technology. Proponents say the heat that CSP systems produce and their storage capacity offer advantages over other renewables for generating grid-scale electricity and fueling various industrial processes.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal

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Los Angeles, Honolulu leading US cities in solar power generation: report

Los Angeles continues to lead the nation’s cities in total installed solar power capacity, but Honolulu far surpasses any other contender in terms of power generated per capita, a new report has found.

Solar power is expanding rapidly across the U.S., which now has a total of 121.4 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity — or enough to power more than 23 million homes, according to the eighth edition of the Shining Cities survey, published by the Environment California Research & Policy Center.

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Source: The Hill

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Surfer Kelly Slater opens solar-powered wave pool in California’s Central Valley

World Famous Professional Surfer Kelly Slater recently opened up a 100% solar-powered wave pool in the most unlikely of places: California’s Central Valley, or a place some consider the drought capital of the U.S.

The project, which has been under wraps and in the works since 2005, was officially announced on December 18th as being complete.

Slater’s wavepool was one of the first California businesses to partner with PG&E’s Solar Choice program, according to a BusinessWire press release:

“We are committed to encouraging sustainable development at any site using our technology. As part of this commitment, we are pleased that our first site in Central California is 100 percent powered by solar energy through PG&E’s Solar Choice. This program allows Kelly Slater Wave Company to not only be a pioneer in wave technology, but also in supporting sustainable power initiatives as we act environmentally through an alternative to installing solar panels and fulfill our vision of building the best man-made wave,” said Noah Grimmett, General Manager of Kelly Slater Wave Company.

Watch the video below for more: