Automotive
Advanced Battery Consortium to Lead Battery Development
15 May 2013POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The US Energy Department has selected the Advanced Battery Consortium to lead an industry-wide effort to accelerate development of high-efficiency, cost-effective battery technologies. By investing in these cutting-edge battery technologies, the Energy Department is helping to cut America's oil imports and provide American families and businesses with more transportation options.
Electric Vehicles: Charged by the sun
04 May 2013POSTED IN Applications Features
A solar tree structure with a six-car Bosch charging station is installed at General Motors. Photo courtesy of Envision SolarPlug-in electric vehicles (PEV) store all their energy in batteries, rather than running on gasoline. This is great for the environment in terms of less carbon being spewed into the atmosphere from their exhaust pipes, but vehicle operators will still be dependent on fossil fuels to charge the vehicles unless solar (or other renewable source) is attached to the charging device.
Envision Solar Powers Up Cadillacs
02 May 2013POSTED IN Applications News
Envision Solar International, Inc., a specialist in sustainable infrastructure product designer and developer, announced installation of its new Cadillac Solar Tree array at Fremont Cadillac Buick GMC in Fremont, California (US).
Unirac Helps Power up Volkswagen Solar Energy Complex
30 April 2013POSTED IN Applications News
Unirac, Inc., a Hilti Group company that provides mounting solutions to the solar industry in North America, is involved in powering up a large solar park for Volkswagen. The project involves Volkswagen’s recently constructed 33,600-panel solar park in Chattanooga, Tennessee (US). The solar park, which sits on 33 acres (~13.4 hectares) next to the factory where the mid-size VW Passat is produced, will provide nearly 13% of the plant’s energy, an amount that could power 1200 households per year.
Standex-Meder High-Isolation Reed Relays for Surface or Through-hole Mounting
24 April 2013POSTED IN New Products
Standex-Meder Electronics, a manufacturer of standard and custom electro-magnetic components, including magnetics products and reed switch-based solutions, announces its KT Series of high isolation reed relays. The KT Series is ideal for use in photovoltaic technology or hybrid vehicles. It is particularly helpful in measuring isolation resistance across several components in a solar energy system prior to grid connection, preventing injury or further current leakages.
University of Western Ontario's Solar Car Gets Boost from Jinko
18 April 2013POSTED IN Applications News
JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. will team up with the University of Western Ontario's ("UWO") Western Engineering to provide to their SunStang Solar Car Project polycrystalline solar cells for the car the team will enter in the World Solar Challenge.
Solar Transportation Hub Opens in Suburban Connecticut
09 April 2013POSTED IN Applications News
Encon, a provider of solar energy systems, announced that the first electric-vehicle charging station on the Metro-North Rail Line that serves areas north of New York City is now officially open for business at the Westport, Connecticut (US) historic Saugatuck train station.
University of Michigan Next Generation Solar Car
12 March 2013POSTED IN Applications News
The name of the University of Michigan's next solar car, which will be one step closer to resembling a real-world vehicle, is "Generation," the U-M solar car team announced today at the South by Southwest Interactive festival in Austin, Texas.
Old EV Batteries as Solar Storage Solution
11 March 2013POSTED IN Applications Features
If the world is going to wean itself from its addiction to oil, the electric grid is going to need an update. Most researchers and policy makers agree that success in establishing a sustainable energy future will lean heavily on a multi-pronged approach that takes into account a variety of power generation, storage and distribution practices that continually maintain a focus on efficiency and environmental soundness.
Solar Golf Carts: New wave in transportation
28 January 2013POSTED IN Case Studies and Solar Solutions
Sustainability and environmental efforts do not traditionally go hand in hand with the sport of golf. But times are changing. The International Golf Federation identified sustainability as a fundamental priority for the global golf community, a policy for which the USGA recently announced its support. While a great deal of that focus is on reduced use of chemicals on the greens and limiting water use, there is also emphasis on managing golf courses with reduced resources. And that is where solar comes in.
VW Powers Up Largest Solar Park in Tennessee
23 January 2013POSTED IN Applications News
Volkswagen today powered up a 9.5MW solar system expected to provide 12.5% of the energy needs of its Chattanooga, Tennessee (US) manufacturing plant during full production and 100% during nonproduction periods.
The Volkswagen Chattanooga Solar Park, which occupies 33 acres, or half of the 66-acre land parcel adjacent to VW’s manufacturing plant solar park, contains 33,600 solar modules from JA Solar designed to produce 13.1GWh of electricity per year.
College Students Build Solar Garage
15 January 2013POSTED IN Applications News
Students at Green Mountain College in Vermont, US, have completed a solar-powered garage that demonstrates an integrative design to optimize the performance of electric vehicles in cold weather climates.
The college received a $50,000 grant from Constellation Energy’s E2 Energy to Educate program to build the facility.
SunPower, Eaton Partner with Ford
08 January 2013POSTED IN Business News
Ford Motor Company today announced a partnership with SunPower, Eaton and other companies to showcase how renewable energy generation with “time-flexible” loads optimizes energy consumption across a plug-in vehicle and home appliances.
Readers Spot Solar Trends of 2012
07 January 2013POSTED IN Applications Features
Solar Novus Today readers are knowledgeable professionals who are actively engaged in the solar industry. They come from around the world, and know what’s most relevant and trending in the industry in the past year. By looking at the Top 10 Most Read articles on Solar Novus Today in 2012, we’ve spotted important industry trends. Readers want to know about new places to put solar panels, ways to solve problems with solar power, novel technical approaches to drawing power from the sun and increased efficiencies and lower prices. These are the trends and this is where they found them.
Solar-to-EV Project at San Diego Zoo
12 December 2012POSTED IN Applications News
Kyocera Solar’s PV solar panels are powering the new 90kW canopy that charges electric vehicles at the San Diego Zoo in California.
The Solar-to-EV project, in partnership with Smart City San Diego, is run by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and is a part of the Zoo’s commitment to environmental sustainability. All Kyocera solar panels used in this project were manufactured in the US at the company’s San Diego facility.
Solar Canada 2012: 20 years of bright innovations
29 November 2012POSTED IN Business News
CanSIA will be showcase the solar industries’ latest technology at Solar Canada 2012, which will run 3-4 December, at the Metro-Toronto Convention Centre.
Europe’s Largest Battery Factory Being Built in Germany
25 October 2012POSTED IN Applications News
Europe’s largest battery cell factory is under construction in the German state of Saxony, Germany Trade & Invest today announced.
Germany’s foreign trade and inward investment agency says the government is “optimistic” that the production of high-performance lithium based batteries could revolutionize the automotive industry.
SPI 2012: Solaire’s EV/PV carport kit
06 September 2012POSTED IN New Products
Solaire has introduced the EV/PV carport kit, and will discuss the kit along with its other products at Solar Power International 2012, booth 1571.
Princeton Satellite Systems’ SunStation
27 August 2012POSTED IN New Products
Electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, Tesla, Chevy Volt, Ford Focus Electric, Honda Fit Electric Vehicle (EV) and the Toyota Prius Plug-in, are growing in popularity and the numbers on the street are increasing daily. Many other automobile manufacturers also plan to produce pure electrics or plug-in hybrids. The new SunStation from Princeton Satellite Systems, Inc. provides recharging capability for those cars.
Solar Car Ports: The new rising stars
24 August 2012POSTED IN Applications Features
Sunovation ePORT SCM from Mage SunovationSandwiched between booming residential rooftop markets and large open space installations, solar car ports have not played such an important role in the past. Unlike open space installations, each new solar car port is being built on already sealed, mostly asphalt covered areas; thus no unspoiled nature is being harmed.
