In the year 2009, the global economic downturn in general and the Spanish market crash in particular almost shut down the solar power manufacturing industry. However, during the third and fourth quarters of the year the PV industry experienced extraordinary growth in a number of segments.
Reducing the cost of solar energy continues to be an important aspect in the PV industry. The fundamental goal of solar energy is to be economically viable with present sources of electricity.
Increasing levels of pollution and contamination in the environment is a cause for concern globally. For me, or any other individual, we are confined to the environment we find ourselves in.
By Kris Walker
21 May 2013
The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, originally developed by Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch in early 1920s, is a series of chemical reactions that involve the conversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide into liquid hydrocarbons by using a catalyst.
A microbial fuel cell enables the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy when microorganisms react by catalysis.
The concept of a solar sail seems to be right out of a science fiction novel. However, this could become a reality as soon as 2014, when a NASA research team; ‘In-Space Demonstration of a Mission-Capable Solar Sail’, plans to launch a solar sail and prove the feasibility and significance of this technology.
By Kris Walker
5 Mar 2013
A wind turbine converts kinetic energy from wind into 'rotary mechanical energy' which is used for doing work. In sophisticated models, rotational energy is converted to electricity with the help of a generator.
By Kris Walker
22 Feb 2013
Energy and water share a very close relationship, a nexus, which if understood could solve water and energy problems.
By Kris Walker
6 Mar 2013
Geothermal heat pumps are otherwise known as water-source, ground-source, earth-coupled or geoexchange heat pumps.
Thermoelectric generators, or Seebeck generators, are devices that directly convert heat into electricity through a process called the Seebeck effect or thermoelectric effect.
By Kris Walker
20 May 2013