DOCSLIB.ORG

ACAP Annual Report

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
ACAP Annual Report Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics Australia-US Institute for Advanced Photovoltaics Annual Report 2014 Never Stand Still Engineering Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering Stanford University Table of Contents 1. Director’s Report 2 2. Highlights 4 40% Sunlight to Electricity Conversion 4 First 20% Efficient Cells Using Low-Cost Solar-Grade Silicon 4 Stuart Wenham receives Harvey Research Prize 5 Student Awards 2014 5 High Impact Papers 5 High Performance Organic Photovoltaics Using Nematic Liquid Crystals 6 Compact CH3NH3PbI3 for High Efficiency Perovskite Cells 6 High Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cell 7 3D Printing of Perovskite Solar Cells 7 3. Organisational Structure and Research Overview 8 4. Affiliated Staff and Students 10 University of New South Wales 10 Australian National University 11 CSIRO (Materials Science and Engineering, Melbourne) 12 University of Melbourne 12 Monash University 12 University of Queensland 13 Arizona State University (QESST 13 National Renewable Energy Laboratory 13 Sandia National Laboratories 13 Molecular Foundry 13 Stanford University 13 Georgia Technology Institute 13 University of California, Santa Barbara 13 Wuxi Suntech Power Co. Ltd. 13 BT Imaging 13 Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co. Ltd. 13 Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics - Annual Report 2014 BlueScope Steel 13 5. Research Reports 14 Program Package 1 Silicon Cells 14 PP1.1 Solar Silicon 15 PP1.2 Rear Contact Silicon Cells 17 PP1.3 Silicon Tandem Cells 21 Program Package 2 Thin-Film, Third Generation and Hybrid Devices 32 PP2.1 Organic Photovoltaic Devices 33 PP2.2 Thin film Inorganic (CZTS) 53 PP2.3 Superstrate Liquid-Phase Crystallised Silicon on Glass Cells 56 PP2.4 Third Generation Approaches 58 Program Package 3 Optics/Characterisation 69 PP3.1 Methods to characterize the optical and electrical properties of organic and other thin film earth abundant solar cell 70 PP3.2 Light Trapping 71 Program Package 4 Manufacturing Issues 77 PP4 Cost Evaluations 77 Program Package 5 Education, Training and Outreach 79 PP5.1 ACAP Wide Activities 79 PP5.2 UNSW Led Activities 82 PP5.3 ANU Led Activities 90 PP5.4 UQ led activities 90 PP5.5 UoM led activities 91 PP5.6 Monash led activities 91 PP5.7 CSIRO led activities 92 6. AUSIAPV International Activities 94 6.1 40% efficient ‘Power Cube’ power tower receiver 95 6.2 Metal Complexes as Solid-state Hole Conducting Materials 97 6.3 Carrier selective contacts for boosting Si solar cell efficiency 98 6.4 Solar Cell Performance Documentation 100 6.5 PV Factory 100 7. Financial Summary 102 8. Publications 103 8.1 Books 103 8.2 Book Chapters 103 8.3 Patent Applications 104 8.4 Papers in Refereed Scientific and Technical Journals 104 8.5 Conference Papers and Presentations 109 8.6 Theses 116 8.7 Report 116 8.8 Research Training Tool 116 Table of ContentsTable 1 1. Director’s Report Photovoltaics involves the direct AUSIAPV/ACAP came into being on 1 February 2013 after the signing of a Head Agreement production of electricity from between University of New South Wales (UNSW) light, especially sunlight, when it and ARENA. Subsequently, collaborations were established between UNSW and the other ACAP falls upon devices known as solar nodes, Australian National University (ANU), cells. Silicon is the most common University of Melbourne (UoM), Monash University, University of Queensland (UQ) and CSIRO material used to make these (Materials Science and Engineering, Melbourne) photovoltaic cells, similar to its key and additionally with the ACAP industrial partners, role in microelectronics, although Suntech Research and Development, Australia (SRDA) (now Wuxi Suntech Power Co. Ltd.), a range of other photovoltaic Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co. Ltd., Bluescope materials is being actively Steel and BT Imaging. Further, partnerships were established with the major international investigated. participants, the NSF-DOE Engineering Research Center for Quantum Energy and Sustainable This is the second annual report of the Solar Technologies (QESST) and the US National Australia-US Institute for Advanced Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), as well as Photovoltaics(AUSIAPV), supported by the from additional key US partners, Sandia National Australian Government through the Australian Laboratories, The Molecular Foundry, Berkeley, Stanford University, Georgia Institute of Technology Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for an initial and the University of California, Santa Barbara. eight-year period. The Institute encompasses the activities of the locally based Australian This report covers the period from 1 January to 31 Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) December 2014. As well as setting up the broad as well as synergistic international activities framework for collaboration on an international with US-based partner organisations. scale, both AUSIAPV and ACAP have moved very quickly to establish a high profile within the AUSIAPV aims to significantly accelerate international research community. Following on photovoltaic development beyond that achievable from the world-record 24.4% energy conversion by Australia or the US individually. This goal is to be efficiency cell developed at ANU during 2013 and reached by leveraging the development of “over the confirmed early in 2014, a second world record horizon” photovoltaic technology, thereby providing was demonstrated later in 2014. A system based a pipeline of improved technology for increased on splitting focused sunlight into four different performance and reduced cost. A second aim is colour bands, designed and fabricated at UNSW to provide high-quality training opportunities for then tested at US partner NREL, became the first the next generation of photovoltaic researchers, to convert sunlight to electricity with over 40% particularly through enhanced collaborations energy conversion efficiency. These and several of between Australian and US researchers, with the other highlights over the year are summarised Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics – Annual Report 2014 one goal being to consolidate Australia’s position in the pages immediately following my report. as the photovoltaic research and educational 2 hub of the Asia-Pacific manufacturing region. This report covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2014. As well as setting up the broad framework for collaboration on an international scale, both AUSIAPV and ACAP have moved very quickly to establish a high profile within the international research community. Other achievements outlined in the body of this 2014 Annual Report contributed to making 2014 an extremely successful year for the Institute. The photovoltaic industry fared better than most other industries through the recent global financial crisis and is now growing vigorously as costs continue to go down, driven by the ongoing uptake of improved technology that ACAP is uniquely positioned to supply. As an indicator of the growing appreciation of the large role photovoltaics will play in future energy supply, Bloomberg New Energy Finance brought forward to 2016 the company’s forecast date for when photovoltaics would surpass coal generators worldwide as the largest source of new electricity generation capacity. I would like to thank ARENA for ongoing financial support and also for the very effective involvement of ARENA personnel in supporting the AUSIAPV/ACAP program, both informally and via the ACAP National Steering Committee and the AUSIAPV International Advisory Committee. I would additionally like to thank, in particular, all researchers affiliated with the Institute for their contributions to the broad range of progress reported in the following pages. Martin Green Director Finally, I am pleased to be able to report that AUSIAPV/ACAP has taken its second major step towards attaining its significant long-term objectives by achieving all second year milestones, on time and within budget. We look forward to a similar result in 2015 and in subsequent years. 1. Director’s Report 3 2. Highlights 40% Sunlight to First 20% Efficient Cells Electricity Conversion Using Low-Cost Solar- The program attained a landmark result internationally in 2014 with the first demonstration Grade Silicon of sunlight conversion to electricity with efficiency Researchers at the Australian National University above 40%. In an AUSIAPV project supported by ACAP node have demonstrated the world’s first ARENA, UNSW, NREL and commercial partners, silicon solar cell with greater than 20% efficiency, RayGen Resources Pty Ltd and Spectrolab using silicon wafers made with 100% ‘solar-grade’ Inc., a 287 cm2 aperture area prototype was silicon feedstock (see Section PP1.1). The n-type constructed by combining a commercial triple- silicon wafers were supplied by industry partner junction III-V concentration solar cell with a Apollon Solar, and were grown using Upgraded commercial silicon cell in a 4-junction system. Metallurgical-Grade silicon material (UMG Si), a low- Innovative bandpass filtering was used to achieve cost and low-energy refining process that promises the required partitioning of the solar spectrum to reduce both the cost and energy-intensity of so that currents in the III-V cell were balanced. silicon solar cells. Using a cell fabrication process that has been modified to maintain high electronic The 40% landmark efficiency was first measured quality in the UMG wafers, a peak efficiency of in outdoor testing in Sydney in October 2014, 20.1% was achieved, as measured at ANU, almost after which the system was shipped
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Final Program
    FINAL PROGRAM May 3 – 8, 2008 • Town and Country Resort & Convention Center • San Diego, California SOLAR 2008 is presented by Featuring 37th ASES National Solar Conference 33rd National Passive Solar Conference 3rd Annual Renewable Energy Policy, Advocacy and Marketing Conference Solar Success! Training Event American Solar Energy Society Annual Meeting Society of Building Science Educators Annual Meeting Welcome On behalf of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), the San Diego Renewable Energy Society (SDRES), the Northern California Solar Energy Association (NorCal Solar), the Redwood Empire Solar Living Association (RESLA), and the California Center for Sustainable Energy, welcome to SOLAR 2008! This year’s conference will build on the outstanding SOLAR successes of 2006 and 2007 where the dual role of renewable energy in climate and economic recovery, respectively, was clearly established. ASES Reports launched at these events — “Renewable Energy: A Key to Climate Recovery” and “Green Collar Jobs” — have been featured prominently in the public media. In 2008, we feel a new urgency about bringing together technology, policy and community solutions to address climate change, grow our economy and specifically look for solutions to reduce our carbon footprint. With a focus on renewable energy solutions in our communities and leadership to bring about change in our national energy policy we offer several new experiences at SOLAR 2008. First, we invite solar enthusiasts and those new to the field to participate more fully at SOLAR 2008 by opening our event on Public Days on Saturday and Sunday — at a discount for riders of mass transit! Featured will be demonstrations, films, speakers, and an exhibit hall with close to 200 booths.
    [Show full text]
  • Fire Fighter Safety and Emergency Response for Solar Power Systems
    Fire Fighter Safety and Emergency Response for Solar Power Systems Final Report A DHS/Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) Funded Study Prepared by: Casey C. Grant, P.E. Fire Protection Research Foundation The Fire Protection Research Foundation One Batterymarch Park Quincy, MA, USA 02169-7471 Email: [email protected] http://www.nfpa.org/foundation © Copyright Fire Protection Research Foundation May 2010 Revised: October, 2013 (This page left intentionally blank) FOREWORD Today's emergency responders face unexpected challenges as new uses of alternative energy increase. These renewable power sources save on the use of conventional fuels such as petroleum and other fossil fuels, but they also introduce unfamiliar hazards that require new fire fighting strategies and procedures. Among these alternative energy uses are buildings equipped with solar power systems, which can present a variety of significant hazards should a fire occur. This study focuses on structural fire fighting in buildings and structures involving solar power systems utilizing solar panels that generate thermal and/or electrical energy, with a particular focus on solar photovoltaic panels used for electric power generation. The safety of fire fighters and other emergency first responder personnel depends on understanding and properly handling these hazards through adequate training and preparation. The goal of this project has been to assemble and widely disseminate core principle and best practice information for fire fighters, fire ground incident commanders, and other emergency first responders to assist in their decision making process at emergencies involving solar power systems on buildings. Methods used include collecting information and data from a wide range of credible sources, along with a one-day workshop of applicable subject matter experts that have provided their review and evaluation on the topic.
    [Show full text]
  • Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius : [50 Build
    Malestrom 11/1/2009 Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius Evil Genius Series Bionics for the Evil Genius: 25 Build-it-Yourself MORE Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius: Projects 40 NEW Build-it-Yourself Projects Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius: 57 Lessons 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius with Projects 123 PIC® Microcontroller Experiments for the Evil Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius: Genius 28 Build-it-Yourself Projects 123 Robotics Experiments for the Evil Genius Electronic Games for the Evil Genius PC Mods for the Evil Genius: 25 Custom Builds to Electronic Sensors for the Evil Genius: Turbocharge Your Computer 54 Electrifying Projects Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius 50 Awesome Auto Projects for the Evil Genius 25 Home Automation Projects for the Evil Genius 50 Model Rocket Projects for the Evil Genius Mechatronics for the Evil Genius: 25 Build-it-Yourself Projects Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius GAVIN D. J. HARPER New York Chicago San Francisco Lisbon London Madrid Mexico City Milan New Delhi San Juan Seoul Singapore Sydney Toronto Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a data- base or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. 0-07-150910-0 The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: 0-07-147772-1.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2016
    Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics Australia-US Institute for Advanced Photovoltaics Annual Report 2016 Stanford University Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics Table of Contents 1. Director’s Report 2 2. Highlights 5 New World Record for Conversion of Unconcentrated Sunlight 5 Record 7.6% and 9.4% Efficiency CZTS Cell 5 Record Perovskite Cells 6 High Impact Papers 6 Opposition Leader Bill Shorten Visits ACAP Nodes 7 Novel Silicon Solar Cells with Passivating Contacts 7 Direct Observation of Intrinsic Twin Domains in Tetragonal CH3NH3PbI3 7 In-doped TiOx Electron Transport Layers for Efficient Perovskite Cells and Perovskite-Silicon Tandems 8 Compositional and Structural Engineering of Perovskites for Efficient and Stable Solar Cells 8 Martin Green delivers Ian Wark Lecture 9 ‘Lab-to-Fab’ Translation of Perovskites 9 Student Awards at the 31st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, Amsterdam 10 Awards at Third Asia-Pacific Solar Research Conference, Canberra 10 Silicon PV Conference Award 2016 to ANU’s Jason Cui 10 IEEE PVSC Young Professional Award to Bram Hoex 11 Pierre Verlinden Lauded with William Cherry Award 11 3. Organisational Structure and Research Overview 12 4. Affiliated Staff and Students 15 University of New South Wales 15 Australian National University 16 CSIRO (Manufacturing, Melbourne) 17 University of Melbourne 17 Monash University 18 University of Queensland 18 QESST 18 National Renewable Energy Laboratory 18 Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories 18 Stanford University 18 Georgia Technology Institute 18 University of California, Santa Barbara 19 Wuxi Suntech Power Co. Ltd. 19 Trina Solar 19 BT Imaging 19 BlueScope Steel 19 PV Lighthouse 19 Dyesol Pty Ltd.
    [Show full text]
  • Solar Energy - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    Solar energy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar energy technologies include solar heating, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal electricity and solar architecture, which can make considerable contributions to solving some of the most urgent problems the world now faces.[1] Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar Nellis Solar Power Plant in the United States, one of techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting the largest photovoltaic power plants in North materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air. America. In 2011, the International Energy Agency said that "the development of affordable, Renewable energy inexhaustible and clean solar energy technologies will have huge longer-term benefits. It will increase countries’ energy security through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-independent resource, enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of mitigating climate change, and keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise. These advantages are
    [Show full text]
  • Solar Power Initiative Using Caltrans Right-Of-Way Final Research Report
    STATE OF CALIFORNIA • DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE DRISI-2011 (REV 10/1998) 1. REPORT NUMBER 2. GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION NUMBER 3. RECIPIENT'S CATALOG NUMBER CA20-3177 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. REPORT DATE Solar Power Initiative Using Caltrans Right-of-Way 12/09/2020 Final Research Report 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE 7. AUTHOR 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO. Sarah Kurtz, Edgar Kraus, Kristopher Harbin, Brianne Glover, Jaqueline Kuzio, William Holik, Cesar Quiroga 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. WORK UNIT NUMBER University of California, Merced School of Engineering and Material Science 11. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBER 5200 North Lake Road 65A0742 Merced, CA 95343 12. SPONSORING AGENCY AND ADDRESS 13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED California Department of Transportation Final Report Division of Research, Innovation and System Information June 2019 - December 2020 P.O. Box 942873 14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE Sacramento, CA 94273 15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 16. ABSTRACT Provide guidance to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) on the installation of utility-scale solar electrical generation facilities in its right-of-way. Explores the current rules, regulations, and policies from regulatory agencies external to Caltrans and California utilities that affect Caltrans’ ability to install solar within its right-of-way. Determines best practices that other state departments of transportation have developed based on their experience with the deployment of solar generation facilities within their right-of-way. Outlines best practices of how to develop solar generation sites within Caltrans right-of-way. Summarizes design-build-own strategies that Caltrans could use as part of a public-private partnership to finance the installation and/or maintenance of solar sites within the Caltrans right-of-way.
    [Show full text]
  • Martin Green
    Martin Green is Scientia Professor at the University of New South Wales, Sydney and Director of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, involving several other Australian Universities and research groups. His group's contributions to photovoltaics are well known and include holding the record for silicon solar cell efficiency for 30 of the last 35 years, described as one of the “Top Ten” Milestones in the history of solar photovoltaics. Major international awards include the 1999 Australia Prize, the 2002 Right Livelihood Award, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize the 2007 SolarWorld Einstein Award and, most recently, the 2018 Global Energy Prize to be presented in Moscow this October. David Waite is a Scientia Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He served as Director of the UNSW Centre for Water and Waste Technology (now UNSW Water Research Centre) from 1993 to 2006 and was Research Director for the School from 1997 to 2006 before taking over as Head of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2007. He continued as Head of till early 2013 before taking on the role of Deputy Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Engineering. Professor Waite obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Tasmania (1974), Masters degree from Monash University (1977) and PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1984). Before joining UNSW as Head of the Department of Water Engineering in 1993, he spent eight years undertaking research at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and, prior to this, two years as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Melbourne and five years at the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission in Melbourne.
    [Show full text]
  • Demand-Side Management Guidebook: Renewable and Distributed Energy Technologies
    enewable & Distributed Energy Tech no R lo g ie s R e n e w a b l e & D i s t r i b u t e d E n e r g y T e c h n o l o g i e s R e n e w a - b l e w & e D n i e s R t r s i b e i u g t e o l d o E n n h e c r e g T y Renewable and Distributed Energy Technologies Energy Distributed and Renewable Demand-Side Management Guidebook: Management Demand-Side enewable & Distributed Energy Tech no R lo g ie s R e n e w sarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof. agency any or government States United the of those reflect or state sarily a b - government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not neces not do herein expressed authors of opinions and views The thereof. agency any or government l e not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States States United the by favoring or recommendation, endorsement, its imply or constitute necessarily not & commercial product, process, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does does otherwise or manufacturer, trademark, name, trade by services or process, product, commercial or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific specific any to herein Reference rights.
    [Show full text]
  • CSP/CPV) Spectrum Splitting Solar Collector for Power Generation
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED A hybrid (CSP/CPV) spectrum splitting solar collector for power generation A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Systems (E.S.) by Bennett K. Widyolar Committee: Professor Gerardo Diaz, Chair Professor Elliot Campbell Professor Yanbao Ma Professor Roland Winston Spring 2018 A hybrid (CSP/CPV) spectrum splitting solar collector for power generation Copyright 2018 by Bennett K. Widyolar The dissertation of Bennett K. Widyolar, titled “A hybrid (CSP/CPV) spectrum splitting solar collector for power generation,” is approved: Chair Date Gerardo Diaz Date Yanbao Ma Date Elliot Campbell Date Roland Winston University of California, MERCED iii Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................... viii Curriculum Vita ........................................................................................................................................... ix Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... x List of Symbols ............................................................................................................................................ xi List of Figures ...........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Eureka Prizes Winners Combined Releases
    Eureka Prizes winners combined releases For more information about all the winners visit australianmuseum.net.au/eureka. And watch the finalists videos here. For media enquiries please contact the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes media team: Niall Byrne, [email protected], 0417 131 977 Errol Hunt, [email protected], 0423 139 210 List of winners Looking beyond physics’ Standard Model .............................................................................................................................. 2 3M Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science ................................................................................................................................ 2 Nurturing the next generation of Australian researchers ........................................................................................................ 3 University of Technology Sydney Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers .......................................................... 3 Leading Australia’s quantum future ........................................................................................................................................ 4 CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science .................................................................................................................................... 4 Melting salt to store solar power ............................................................................................................................................. 5
    [Show full text]
  • The First Practical Solar Power Satellite Via Arbitrarily Large Phased Array (A 2011-2012 NASA NIAC Phase 1 Project)
    SPS-ALPHA: The First Practical Solar Power Satellite via Arbitrarily Large Phased Array (A 2011-2012 NASA NIAC Phase 1 Project) FINAL REPORT to 15 September 2012 by Mr. John C. Mankins, Principal Investigator Artemis Innovation Management Solutions LLC P.O. Box 6660 Santa Maria, California 93456 email: [email protected] phone: (+1) 805-929-3121 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program SPS via Arbitrarily Large Phased Array NIAC Phase 1 Final Report 15 September 2012 SPS-ALPHA: The First Practical Solar Power Satellite via Arbitrarily Large Phased Array (A 2011-2012 NASA NIAC Phase 1 Project) ABSTRACT The vision of delivering solar power to Earth from platforms in space has been known for decades. However, early architectures to accomplish this vision were technically complex and unlikely to prove economically viable. Some of the issues with these earlier solar power satellite (SPS) concepts – particularly involving technical feasibility – were addressed by NASA’s space solar power (SSP) studies and technology research in the mid-to-late 1990s. Despite that progress, ten years ago a number of key technical and economic uncertainties remained. A new SPS concept has been proposed that resolves many, if not all, of those uncertainties: “SPS­ ALPHA” (Solar Power Satellite by means of Arbitrarily Large Phased Array). During 2011-2012 the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program supported a Phase 1 “SPS-ALPHA” project, the goal of which was to establish the technical and economic viability of the SPS-ALPHA concept to an early TRL 3 – analytical proof-of-concept – and provide a framework for further study and technology development.
    [Show full text]
  • July 30, 2015 the Honorable Barack H. Obama the White House 1600
    July 30, 2015 The Honorable Barack H. Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Obama, As solar power installers, manufacturers, designers, aggregators, product suppliers, and consultants, we welcome the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, the first-ever federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants. Power plants account for 40 percent of America’s carbon pollution. The solar industry offers a wide range of technologies to generate energy pollution-free from the sun and reduce the need for polluting sources of energy. This plan is a critical step toward transforming our energy system to one that protects our health and environment, and that of our children. As state and community leaders begin to seek effective measures to reach these goals, we wish to underscore the tremendous potential of solar energy in cutting carbon pollution. At the White House Solar Summit in April 2014, you highlighted that every four minutes, another American home or business goes solar. As the nation’s fastest growing source of renewable energy, solar can play a major role in meeting our nation’s energy and environmental challenges. Solar energy already provides enough pollution-free electricity to displace 18 billion pounds of coal, and could be a game-changer in a well-crafted Clean Power Plan. With 143,000 Americans employed in the solar industry in more than 6,100 businesses across the nation, we stand by Gina McCarthy’s remarks that “we have never—nor will we ever—have to choose between a healthy economy and a healthy environment.” The rate of job growth in the solar industry is unmatched by any other sector in the nation.
    [Show full text]