I am not a fan of solar panels, though I did purchase a home already equipped with a rooftop solar panel for pool heating. That home purchase was last century.
I wish all engineers to wake-up and question the polluting engineering-production philosophy of accepting destructive foundational assumptions inherent in the current industrial production model. Do your research and note the toxic waste and chemical synthetics…
However, solar power is a trend still in the alternative energy movement, as we search for off-grid living.
Collective Evolution shared the report below that I found interesting and I thought it worthy of discussion.
For those who wish to research deeper, at the bottom of this post I inserted additional information about one producer marketing this technology. ~Ron
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Amazing Printed Solar Panels Could Provide Power To 1.3 Billion People
August 21, 2015 by Alanna Ketler
With the costs of solar power on the decline – prices have seen a staggering drop from around $40 per watt in 1977 to $0.74 per watt in 2013 – this remarkable technology has finally made its way into the mainstream. While this is great news for people in developed countries who want to make the transition over to cleaner sources of energy, it is even better news for the 1.3 billion people who are currently living without any electricity at all.
Printed solar cells are paper-thin, lightweight and extremely inexpensive to produce. The cells are also flexible, making their transportation virtually effortless, even to remote rural areas. “I’ve witnessed first-hand how the technology has enabled urban poor communities in India to access off-grid electricity,” says Scott Watkins of the Korean firm Kyung-In Synthetic. “Its success is due to its cost effectiveness and simplicity. A 10×10 solar cell film is enough to generate enough as much as 10-50 watts per square meter.”
While the technology is advancing quickly, there still remains plenty of room for improvement. The printer required to generate these cells is quite expensive and requires a large capital investment. The printed cells are susceptible to the elements and can cause lead contamination if they are broken. There are, however, already some companies (like the aforementioned Kyung-In Synthetic) working to alleviate these issues.
Even though there are still some issues to be ironed out, printed solar cells are a huge step towards implementing a clean, renewable energy source worldwide! Can you imagine what a simple crowdfunding campaign could do? I think a lot of people want to help, but they either don’t know how, they don’t trust a lot of the bigger charities, or they don’t have a lot to give. After these printed solar cells are perfected, they will have the potential to change the lives of so many individuals around the world. Technology certainly is amazing! These are some exciting times we are living in.
Much Love
Source: http://inhabitat.com/paper-thin-printed-solar-cells-could-provide-power-for-1-3-billion/
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Think critically and note “The printer required to generate these cells is quite expensive and requires a large capital investment. The printed cells are susceptible to the elements and can cause lead contamination if they are broken”.
Below is the manufacturer mentioned in the report above. ~Ron
Kyung-In Synthetic Corporation (KISCO) produces and supplies chemical dyes for textiles, leatherworks, detergents, and paper processing sectors. The company offers reactive, disperse, direct, and acidic and leather dyes; fluorescent brighteners; and photosensitizers and intermediates, photoinitiators, and near infrared absorbing dyes. It also provides ink-jet dyes, mill base, and digital textile printing (DTP) ink. The company also exports its products to 50 countries worldwide. Kyung-In Synthetic Corporation was founded in 1971 and is based in Incheon, South Korea.
Click to access KISCO_Company_Brochure.pdf
Website: http://www.kyungin.co.kr/english/home1-8.php
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Very inspiring technology.
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Yes, innovating advanced tech is awesome.
However, industry produces toxic waste (inherent in their manufacturing process) is a flawed design of production. That is the flawed and dominate meme of today that I mentioned in my preamble.
Some engineers and architects are adopting the “Cradle To Cradle” practice, taking into account “all children, all species, for all time.”
Sadly the above solar cell manufacturing does not have a “Cradle To Cradle” ethic.
“We Have A Design Problem.” in the world of the maker of things.
William McDonough makes the point, we can must better
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