Solar-Thermal Flat Panels Generate Electricity

Two technologies have dominated efforts to harness the power of the sun's energy. Photovoltaics convert sunlight into electric current, while solar-thermal power generation uses sunlight to heat water and produce thermal energy. Photovoltaic cells have been deployed widely as flat panels, while solar-thermal power generation employs sunlight-absorbing surfaces feasible in residential and large-scale industrial settings.

Because of limited material properties, solar-thermal devices have so far failed to economically generate enough electric power. The team has introduced two innovations — a better light-absorbing surface through enhanced nanostructured thermoelectric materials, which was then placed within an energy-trapping, vacuum-sealed flat panel. Combined, both measures added enhanced electricity-generating capacity to solar-thermal power technology, as reported by Zhifeng Ren, a Boston College professor of physics and a co-author of the study. The team is comprised of Gang Chen, MIT's Soderberg professor of power engineering; Boston College and MIT graduate students; and researchers at GMZ Energy, a Massachusetts clean energy research company founded by Ren and Chen.


Ren claims that their team has developed a flat panel that is a hybrid capable of generating hot water and electricity in the same system," he said. "The ability to generate electricity by improving existing technology at minimal cost makes this type of power generation self-sustaining from a cost standpoint." 

Their technology involves using nanotechnology engineering methods. The researchers combined high-performance thermoelectric materials and spectrally selective solar absorbers in a vacuum-sealed chamber to boost conversion efficiency.

The findings open up a promising new approach that has the potential to achieve cost-effective conversion of solar energy into electricity, an advance that should affect the rapidly expanding residential and industrial clean energy markets, claims Ren who further comments, "Existing solar-thermal technologies do a good job generating hot water. For the new product, this will produce both hot water and electricity," he said. "Because of the new ability to generate valuable electricity, the system promises to give users a quicker payback on their investment. This new technology can shorten the payback time by one-third." 

Solar-Thermal Flat Panels Generate Electricity

Topics for discussed_Renewable Energy in India, 5th May 2011 - Step towards achieving Climate Change Goals

Renewable Energy World India 2011 address one or more of the following topics:

Strategic Topics:
• Future Renewable Energy Mix
• Renewable Energy Certificate Initiative
• Building a Domestic Solar Manufacturing Industry
• Offshore Wind Potential
• How to Achieve Grid Parity
• Project Development & Financing (Clean Energy Funding)
• Risk Management, Insurance, Return on Investment, acquiring RE projects
• Incentives for Renewables
• Rural Electrification Utilising Renewable Energy
• Renewable Energy Policy & Strategy, The Solar Mission
• Attracting Domestic & Foreign Investment
• Regulatory Issues
• Manufacturing and Equipment Supply & Construction Capacity Constraints
• Building an export market
• Addressing the Skilled Manpower Shortage
• Realistic Pricing/Tariffs
• Electric vehicles, fleet management and renewables

Who's Who in Renewable Energy in India, 5th May 2011 - A step towards achieving Climate Change Goals

INAUGURAL SESSION (morning 5 May 2011)

Welcome Address: Mr. Glenn Ensor, Director of Events, Pennwell, UK
Address by: Dr. Uddesh Kohli, Advisor, Power-Gen India & Central Asia 2011, India
Address by: Mr. Arup Roy Choudhury, CMD, NTPC, India
Address by: Mr. B.P. Rao, CMD, BHEL, India
Keynote Address by: Mr. C. Balakrishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Coal & Mines, Govt. of India
Keynote Address by: Mr. Deepak Gupta, Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Govt. of India
Keynote Address by: Mr. P. Umashankar, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Govt. of India
Chairman’s Address: Mr. B.K. Chaturvedi, Member – Energy, Planning Commission, India
Guest of Honor: Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Hon’ble Minister of New & Renewable Energy, Govt. of India
Chief Guest: Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde, Hon’ble Minister of Power, Govt. of India
Vote of Thanks: Mr. Rajan Sharma, Managing Director, Inter Ads Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd, India


Afrenoon

Session 1
High Level Panel Discussion: Meeting the Power Capacity Challenge of the 12th Five-Year Plan

*Chair: Rakesh Mehta, Chief Secretary & Principal Secretary (Power), Govt. of NCT of Delhi, India

Speakers:* G.D. Gautama, Addl. Chief Secretary (Power), Govt. of West Bengal, India* Gurdial Singh, Chairman, CEA, India* Sudhir Kumar, Joint Secretary (Planning), Ministry of Power, India* Satnam Singh, CMD, Power Finance Corporation, India

Session 2
Renewable Energy Policy (20GW by 2020)

Chair: To be Confirmed

RE Policy Framework - India: To Sustain Wind Power Deployment PaceGuarav Ganghi, Assistant Manager, Suzlon Energy, India

Co-Authors: Chintan Shah, VP and Head, SBD, Suzlon Energy, India

How to Achieve Grid Parity: Solar Power GenerationVenu Birappa, Executive Engineer, Gujurat Energy Transmission Corporation, India

Renewable Energy World India Conference-DAY_1.html

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           -DAY 2
           -DAY 3