[Vision2020] Vision2020 Digest, Vol 19, Issue 92

Fri Jan 18 14:43:53 PST 2008

Thanks for this Ted, it does appear that their technology differs from Ovonics.  It is probably best to support a bundle of these new ideas with any less speculative funds for the long term through ETF's like Powershares LUX Nanotech or Powershares Wilderhill Clean Energy.  Either of these group like minded socially responsible start ups for the new millenium.  I did see something about this and also new work being conducted on layered solar panels sheets that will harvest energy from the entire spectrum or several types of light in stacks of collectors vs. just one.  They expect the output efficiency to be closer to 80% or more vs. the current 20% (guessing on my figures and recollection here)

Even Moscow has a new nano-tech company called GoNano that was featured recently in the Daily News.  See them at http://gonano-9.com/index.html

I like Energy Conversion Devices for more than just their solar tech.  I saw the company featured on PBS's New Scientific Frontiers hosted by Alan Alda.  The founder reminds me of a Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein figure.  Let's just keep forward and remember to always keep our minds open as competition like the race for VHS or Beta is what led us now to the race for Blue-Ray or HD DVD.

Don

The following is from Energy Conversion Devices website. 

Stan started working in the field of disordered materials in 1955. He is a self-taught genius who defied the conventional thinking, for instance, of his contemporary physicists and proved that amorphous semiconductors can exist with exciting new physical, chemical, and electronic properties. He studied the high-field properties of a large number of these materials and, between 1958 and 1961, discovered and developed the two types of reversible switching phenomena that bear his name and which opened up the way for rewritable CDs and DVDs.Iris graduated with a B.A. in Zoology from Swarthmore College, received an M.S. in Biology from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Boston University.Armed with Iris’s formal training and Stan’s genius — working as a collaborative team — Stan and Iris have created breakthroughs in four major areas: energy generation, energy storage, information systems, and atomically engineered (nanotechnology) synthetic materials. Stan's inventions in optical media, digital memory, solar energy, battery technology, and solid hydrogen storage are creating new industries — providing new jobs and feeding back into our educational system to enrich people's lives. Scientists are working in the new fields he has spearheaded, such as his pioneering work in information, on Ovonic phase-change memories and the Ovonic threshold switch.
Stan and Iris have received public recognition not only for their scientific contributions but also for their efforts toward the betterment of society. Stan has been honored as one of Time Magazine's "Heroes for the Planet." Jointly, they have been honored with the American Chemical Society's "Heroes of Chemistry 2000 Award." In 1988, the PBS science program Nova labeled Stan as "Japan's American Genius." In 2001, they were recipients of the Wayne State University “Corporate Citizenship Award.” In 2005, Stan was inducted into the Solar Hall of Fame. In the same year, he was awarded the “2005 Innovation Award for Energy and the Environment” by The Economist for his pioneering work in and the development of the high-powered NiMH battery technology. In 2003, Iris was inducted into the “Academy of Distinguished Alumni” of her alma mater, Boston University.Stan and Iris, as early as in 1960 in their storefront laboratory in Detroit, were planning a systems approach toward generation, transportation, storage, and utilization of hydrogen as an alternative power source. His science and technology of amorphous materials have resulted in the ability to make thin-film, continuous web, multi-junction material devices that can use the entire spectrum of sunlight resulting in the energy necessary to break up water to generate hydrogen. He treats energy as a system.

> > Message: 3> Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:39:54 -0800> From: "Ted Moffett" <starbliss at gmail.com>> Subject: [Vision2020] Nanosolar: World's Largest Solar Cell Factory:> San Francisco Area> To: "donald edwards" <donaledwards at hotmail.com>> Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com> Message-ID:> <d03f69e0801181339h1b630c9fo3ee0c6bfe199b2c0 at mail.gmail.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"> > All-> > Nanosolar has begun development of the largest solar cell fabrication plant> in the world, in the San Francisco bay area, using a new technology, though> I am not sure how their technology differs, if it does, from United Solar> Ovonic:> > http://www.nanosolar.com/cache/GlobeSt100MM.htm> > >From the article at the web link above:> > What's different about Nansolar's technology is that it does not make use of> silicon crystals, which is how 90% of the world's solar energy is currently> produced. Instead, Nanosolar and others such as San Jose-based Miasole are> using a copper alloy that also absorbs light and creates electricity.> > Werner Dumanski, Nanosolar's head of manufacturing, says the company's> printing process makes the fully-loaded cell cost -- including materials,> consumables, energy, labor, facility, and capital ? "less than the> depreciation expense that vacuum thin-film companies have to pay for the> equipment that produces their cells."> ----------------> A more recent news release indicates the Nanosolar plant is still a go...> > http://www.earthscan.co.uk/defaultREW_news.asp?sp=&v=3> > ------------------------------------------> Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett> > > On 1/17/08, donald edwards <donaledwards at hotmail.com> wrote:> >> >> > Here's a system they should consider for solar power that rolls out in> > long flexible sheets that can be hammered and drilled through, doesn't use> > heavy glass and produces even power through out the day even in lower light> > conditions through clouds vs. requiring direct sunlight for max output.> >> > My guess is that they could install several of the small wind turbines> > right on top of a solar roof without much masting since the building is> > already tall.> >> > Maybe the hospital could partner with this project to provide a Fuelcell> > Technologies stand alone hydrogen power generation plant that is about the> > size of industrial air conditioners and makes it's own clean hydrogen power> > in use all over the world at universities and hospitals, etc because they> > are not reliant or affected by grid outages. These are also being installed> > at existing coal and other power plants to reclaim wasted exhaust heat to> > generate hydrogen power which obviously increases the over all efficiency of> > the existing power plant. (full disclosure-I own shares in each of these> > companies which are founded, based and hire American's, not dead dinosaurs> > in Iraq)> >> > United Solar Ovonic's first football-field long proprietary continuous web> > triple-junction solar cell manufacturing machine ? designed and built by ECD> > Ovonics' *Production Technology and Machine Building Division*<http://ovonic.com/se_ovonic_machine_building_division.cfm>? is operating at its full-rated capacity and is considered the world's> > largest and most advanced machine for manufacture of thin-film amorphous> > silicon alloy solar cells and related products used in a variety of> > applications.> >> > Because of United Solar Ovonic's unique solar cell technology> > characteristics, such as lightweight, ruggedness, and flexibility, it is> > ideal for residential and industrial building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV)> > roofing systems. ECD Ovonics and United Solar Ovonic hold the basic patents> > covering the continuous roll-to-roll manufacturing of thin-film amorphous> > silicon alloy multi-junction solar cells and related products.> >> >> >> > *United Solar Ovonic is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion> > Devices, Inc.*> > **> > **> > *United Solar Ovonic's Second Installation for GM*> >> > *Auburn Hills, Mich., Sept 14, 2007* ? United Solar Ovonic, a wholly owned> > subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENER), announced> > today that it has been selected for one of the largest solar power> > installations in corporate use. Uni-Solar PV solar panels will be installed> > on the roof of the GM facility in Fontana, California. When completed in> > December, the installation will produce 1.3 million kilowatt hours of> > electricity a year, roughly the amount needed to power 200 homes for one> > year.> >> > The Fontana solar array will be installed atop GM's 300,000 square foot> > warehouse facility. This installation follows United Solar Ovonic's> > similar-sized installation at another GM facility in Rancho Cucamonga.> >> > Subhendu Guha, President of United Solar Ovonic, said: "This is our second> > installation for GM after the 1MW solar installation in Rancho Cucamonga. We> > are gratified, of course, that *UNI-SOLAR*(R) panels are the product of> > choice for GM and for a growing list of corporations advancing the increased> > use of renewable energy."> >> > "At General Motors we understand that good environmental decisions are> > good business decisions and solar energy is a perfect example of this," said> > Elizabeth A. Lowery, GM vice president, Environment, Energy and Safety> > Policy. "The new solar arrays on our rooftops are reducing our energy costs> > and carbon footprint, while providing green energy to the community."> >> > Constellation Energy Projects & Services Group, a division of> > Constellation Energy, will own and operate the rooftop system and provide> > power to the GM facility under a 25-year power purchase agreement.> >> > **> >> > *About Energy Conversion Devices*> >> > Energy Conversion Devices is the leader in the synthesis of new materials> > and the development of advanced production technology and innovative> > alternative energy products and solutions. The company's portfolio of> > alternative energy solutions and proprietary information processing> > technologies features the latest advances in solar electric power> > generation, NiMH batteries, and fuel cell, solid hydride storage and> > phase-change memory technologies. ECD designs and builds manufacturing> > machinery that incorporates its proprietary production processes, maintains> > ongoing research and development programs to continually improve its> > products and develops new applications for its technologies. ECD holds the> > basic patents in its fields. More information on the Company is available at> > *www.ovonic.com* <http://www.ovonic.com/>.> >> > *About United Solar Ovonic> >> > *United Solar Ovonic, building on technology invented and pioneered by> > ECD, is the world leader in thin-film amorphous photovoltaics. Because of> > characteristics unique to the United Solar Ovonic solar cell technology,> > such as lightweight, ruggedness and flexibility, it is ideal as> > building-integrated photovoltaic roofing systems for residential and> > industrial customers. ECD and United Solar Ovonic hold the basic patents> > covering the continuous roll-to-roll manufacturing of thin-film> > amorphous-silicon alloy multi-junction solar cells and related products.> > More information is available at *http://www.uni-solar.com*<http://www.uni-solar.com/>> > .> >> >> >> > **> >> > **> >> > *About FuelCell Energy*> >> >> >> > *Overview*> >> > Based in Danbury, CT (USA), FuelCell Energy (Nasdaq: FCEL) develops and> > markets Ultra-Clean stationary fuel cell power plants that generate> > electricity with up to twice the efficiency of conventional fossil fuel> > plants ? and with virtually no air pollution. With more than 30 years of> > experience, we are recognized as a global leader in the development,> > manufacture, and commercialization of stationary electric power generation.> > FuelCell Energy owns and operates a manufacturing plant in Torrington,> > Connecticut, with a capacity of 50 MW of fuel cells per year. FuelCell> > Energy's Danbury, Connecticut headquarters acts as the nerve center for the> > company's commercial, industrial, and grid-support applications. The Danbury> > facility is also the hub for the company's GTAC (Global Technical Assistance> > Center) monitoring system, which remotely monitors and operates more than 60> > commercial fuel cell units operating at 50 locations all over the world. The> > company's Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plants have generated over 200> > million kW hours. Contact us today and turn your electrical requirements> > into a powerful competitive advantage.> > *Colleges & Universities*The importance of Ultra-Clean energy is> > magnified within institutions of higher learning, where students, faculty,> > alumni and trustees expect campuses to balance environmental impact and> > energy expenses. In addition, growing enrollments, larger campuses, and> > critical power requirements of research laboratories are driving the> > demand from the power grid. On-site fuel cell power plants are quickly> > becoming the choice for distributed power at a variety of colleges and> > universities.> >> > Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plants, unlike traditional reciprocating> > engines and gas turbines, produce virtually no nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur> > oxides (SOx), volatile organic compounds or particulate emissions. While the> > average U.S. fossil fuel power plant produces nearly 25 pounds of these> > emissions per megawatt hour, the DFC fuel cell produces just 0.1 pounds of> > these emissions. DFC power plants also emit dramatically less CO2. This> > represents a significant reduction of greenhouse gases over competing power> > generators. An additional benefit unique to higher education facilities is> > that DFCs offer real-world research opportunities for faculty and students.> > Download an application sheet below, or review one of FuelCell Energy's> > installation spotlights for more information.> >> >> > ------------------------------> > Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live. Get it now!<http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008>> >> > =======================================================> > List services made available by First Step Internet,> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.> > http://www.fsr.net> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com> > =======================================================> >> -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20080118/4c303405/attachment.html > > ------------------------------> > =======================================================> List services made available by First Step Internet, > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. > http://www.fsr.net > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com> =======================================================> > End of Vision2020 Digest, Vol 19, Issue 92> ******************************************
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