Tech

Traditional solar panels are bulky and fragile. They are made from materials like glass, silicon wafers and aluminum that are expensive and difficult to install. But just imagine an ultra-thin, flexible, and affordable solar panel that could be attached to almost any surface, whether it be vertical, horizontal or even curved, to capture solar energy.

This is exactly what Sunflare, a Los Angeles-based startup has developed. Sunflare has unveiled an ultra-thin CIGS solar panel that can be attached to any surface with just a layer of tape like wallpaper. They have named it Capture4.

Capture4 is ideal for areas inaccessible to traditional panels

The panel is just a few micrometers thick. It does not require an aluminum frame nor does it need to be placed on a rooftop.
Capture4 beats traditional solar panels on every front

Compared to crystalline silicon, Sunflare’s CIGS solar panel does not use a glass substrate. It has thinner layers of semiconductors and is environmentally cleaner because it does not use toxic chemicals.
These thin-film solar cells are made with copper, indium, gallium, and selenide (CIGS). They generate around 10 percent more power and weigh almost 65 percent less than the traditional panels.
At a comparable cost of just $1.07 per watt, Sunflare’s CIGS solar cells are affordable, too.

Worldwide, solar energy technology is growing day by day, becoming both cheaper and more efficient. With record-setting solar farms, it is the cheapest source of energy in many countries.

When we think of solar panels, a picture of bulky units of solar panels installed on rooftops comes to mind. However, with this mind-blowing invention by researchers from Michigan State University things are going to change.

Scientists have developed transparent solar cells that will capture only ultraviolet and near-infrared light.

Highly transparent solar cells hold the key to the future of the solar power industry

These panels are transparent, which means that they can be used just like normal windows in cars or homes, but they will also convert light falling on them into energy. Researchers boast that the cells could deliver up to 40 percent of electric power in the United States.

Richard Lunt, professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University, said, “Highly transparent solar cells represent the wave of the future for new solar applications.”

“We analyzed their potential and showed that by harvesting only invisible light, these devices can provide a similar electricity-generation potential as rooftop solar while providing additional functionality to enhance the efficiency of buildings, automobiles, and mobile electronics.”

The BMW 5 Series Sedan prototype arrived at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 in Las Vegas with people wondering if it was the “ultimate self-driving machine.” The BMW 5 Series is the 7th generation 5 Series automobile and is a transformation of the traditional automobile into a vehicle that provides some of the comforts of home.

The BMW 5 Series self-driving prototype includes advanced connectivity and self-driving technology including advanced cruise control, lane keeping assist, and autonomous operation in the right circumstances. In certain locations and at certain speeds, the autonomous driving system will take control of steering, braking, and accelerating.

During 2017, BMW will deploy its self-driving 5 series fleet for testing in the US and Europe. Once the 5 Series is available to the public, it will compete directly with Mercedes E-Class and Jaguar XF which both have autonomous driver functionality, more space, and similar advanced technologies.

The new BMW 5 Series is 137 pounds lighter than previous BMW models while being slightly bigger in size. According to BMW engineers, this will result in improved aerodynamics and a sleeker and more luxurious automobile.

Following is a video demonstration of a BMW 5 Series 2017 self-driving car.


https://www.google.co.in/url?q=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D0DS9PY6iaxE&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjXw7qD0bjZAhXMnpQKHdIjBfgQtwIwAHoECAoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1rqpl8TTj4V2AE0kRAQ7qr

A team of researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia has developed a device to generate electricity from the Earth by turning excess infrared radiation and waste heat through quantum tunneling.

Quantum tunneling is a phenomenon that occurs when particles move through a barrier that should be impossible to move through, according to classical physics. For example, in classical physics, a ball rolling up a hill would require a certain amount of energy to get up the hill and to the other side. However, in quantum physics, the ball could dig through the hill with less energy, in effect tunneling through the barrier.

Our planet absorbs massive amounts of sunlight, which, in turn, leads to a near-constant emission of infrared radiation that holds millions of gigawatts of energy. This infrared heat can be harvested 24 hours a day.

The process involves a specifically designed tunneling device, a bow-tie-shaped nanoantenna that can identify this excess heat as high-frequency electromagnetic waves and then transform these quadrillionth-of-a-second wave signals into electricity.