Green Energy News | October 17, 1999

October 17, 1999 – Vol.4 No.29

ENERGIES... week of October 17, 1999

WORLD RECORD SOLAR. A conversion efficiency of 32.3% has been achieved by Spectrolab and the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory - better than doubling the power output of the best terrestrial solar cells in operation today. The record was achieved by combining a concentrator system with a triple-junction gallium-phosphide on gallium arsenide on germanium (GaInP2/GaAs/Ge) solar cell ordinarily used to power satellites.

The cell was tested at solar concentration levels between 1X and 300X with peak performance at about 50 suns. The concentrator system of relatively inexpensive optics replaces the semiconductor portion of a typical cell. This would allow higher cost multi-junction cells to be manufactured at a lower dollar-per-watt cost compared with flat-plate crystalline silicon or thin-film cells

Spectrolab feels high-performance cells can be more appealing than less efficient ones because fewer of them would be needed to provide the same power output. Or, more solar electric energy could be generated given the square footage constraints of an installation such as roof top.

When four-junction cells under development are completed, space versions should near 40% efficiency; terrestrial ones with concentrator should exceed that. Spectrolab is a business unit of Hughes Electronics and is in the process of selecting experienced business partners for the technology.

SOLAR CAR DREAMS. We could have solar powered cars...if we didn’t have the others. The 1866 mile World Solar Challenge (WSC) vertically across Australia has been won by Aurora 101 - race time 41 hours 6 minutes. Australia-built and driven, Aurora’s winning time was nowhere near the all-time speed record of 33 hours 32 minutes set by the Honda Dream Team in 1996.

On the other hand, this race was hampered by cloudy weather and windy conditions, and Honda spent millions on their winning car three years ago. None of the global car makers entered the race this year, including Honda.

Aurora used less than 1.5 kilowatts of power compared 150 -170 kilowatts consumed by typical internal combustion cars. Visit the WSC at http://www.wsc.org.au/ .

SMART GROWTH, SMART ENERGY. The United States seems to be totally dependent on the automobile. A car is necessary in many areas for one of the simplest chores in life - the purchase of a quart of milk. Smart Growth initiatives aim to stem suburban sprawl and bring communities, people and jobs back together again - creating a comfortable more energy efficient way to live.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) has unveiled SmartGrowth.net, an information source for anyone interested in the initiatives. ULI hopes the site will become the focal point of the growing national debate on our never ending expansion.

I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and others want to send a message to car makers - plenty of people want cleaner more efficient cars. UCS is asking consumers to pledge that their next car will get 50% better mileage and produce 90% less toxic emissions than the current U.S. national averages. UCS hopes to gather tens of thousands of promises over the next few months.