Which solar cell technology is the best?

While crystalline silicon still remains the premium technology for critical applications in remote areas, thin film will be a strong contender in the consumer market due to its lower price

Like with every new technology, solar energy is also facing hurdles in its initial stages of adoption in India. Yet, despite several pitfalls, players are betting big on it. Solar technologies have garnered interest from various segments in India including the government, and efforts are being made to propagate and make the use of solar energy a household practice. While time will decide the fate of solar energy in India, as the industry needs some time to build consumer confidence around the various solar technologies, let’s study the different cell technologies—their merits, demerits and suitability considering local climatic conditions.

Researchers Develop 20 Times Thinner, Cheaper Solar Cell

Solar cells are at a prime these days. Researchers all over the world are working towards improving the efficiency, size and cost factor of the technology. This is because it is a known fact that traditional sources of energy are fast depleting and the time is not far when the world will heavily rely on solar energy. The latest innovation comes from the University of Oslo. The researchers at the University have reportedly developed silicon solar cells that are twenty times thinner than the original solar cells.

Hydrokinetics: The Biggest Source of Renewable Energy You Never Heard Of

Hydrokinetics

Renewable energy has certainly made tremendous progress in the past decade. Indeed, most people would acknowledge that it has grown from being little more than a mascot, to a full-fledged member of the energy generation team.

And yet, despite the fact that people as reputable as the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have come out and said that renewables could provide 80 percent of our electricity by 2050, there are still plenty of naysayers who remain convinced that renewables will continue to play little more than a minor role in our energy future...

Renewable energy project monitor

Business issue Post.
September/October 2012: Our regular column, written by the Energy Industries Council, reports on project development in the renewable energy marketplace.

Some 104 projects across the global renewable energy sector were added to EICDataStream in September and October, indicating consistent new project activity in the sector compared to July and August. However, although project numbers have remained steady, the total potential investment value of US$35.9bn is down by US$26.2bn on the previous two months.