3D Printing can indeed help the Solar Power Industry too!

     The exact definition of the term "3-Dimension Printing" would be referred to as a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape of a digital model by using an additive process, which is the process of layers of material being laid down successively in different types of forms. Since the 21st century has begun, 3D printing has been used increasingly in various types of industries in society such as jewelry, dentistry, prototyping and even human organs.
     Energy strategist John Licata, whom also founded Blue Phoenix Inc., an independent energy and metals research company, comments his enthusiasm in seeing potential of how 3D printing can revolutionize solar panel and photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing. In this present stage of the rising solar power industry, it is accurate to point out that solar panels is somewhat lacking in energy storage and thus, solar cells must be developed to be more sustainable.
     With this complexity of solar power, John Licata has brought to our attention of possibly producing 3D solar cells, which, in turn, can capture more sunlight directly than with conventional PV cells. He believes that "they are more precise (using copper, indium, gallium, selenide: CIGS), less complex and has less weight." Researchers in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) believe they can be 20% more efficient than solar panels.
     Another key factor he points out is the cost, which if 3D printing is successful in producing more efficient solar cells, it could drop the production cost by 50% (because they wouldn't be using costly materials as glass, poly-silicon, or indium). Not only this but he believes it would provide us more convenience in the future because it may be able to produce extremely thin solar cells onto paper, plastic or even fabric instead of the expensive glass used in solar panels. This, he theorizes, would help produce mass appeal for solar energy if it can be turned into wearable high-tech clothing, radios or other electronics. Perhaps in the future, we may find 3D printing incorporated with the use of solar power energy, who knows what the future holds for us.

Free Solar Panels for Honda customers?

       Tesla Motors has been getting ahead in the electric vehicle market because of their newly produced car, Model S. Many car manufacturers are concerned with the shift in the market; this actually includes Honda Motor Company Ltd, the Japanese car manufacturing company to be established in 1948. Honda has recently decided to have a partnership with Solarcity, an American provider of energy services, to offer cheap solar power to eligible customers. They promised that with this incentive, they will be guaranteeing a utility bill for solar power producing a lower rate than grid-supplied energy. This not only includes cheap solar energy but, it also means the eligible Honda and Acura customers would be obtaining a rooftop solar panel installation, covering all the costs including the cost of the panels itself.
       The agreement that has been established between Honda and Solarcity is a power purchase agreement, which is a popular tactic to finance solar installations. Power purchase agreements are designed as contracts between two parties, whereas typically the property owner pays for electricity at a reasonable price rate for a period of time but the installer has continual access to own, operate, and maintain the system for that time period. It's not unusual for this partnership to also offer insurance, maintenance, repair and monitoring during the specified time period.
       Honda customers are able to pay for their bills up front in two ways: either pre-pay for the solar electricity or pay at a monthly rate which is lower rate than their utility bill. Surprisingly, Honda and Solarcity had invested $65 million into a fund for this agreement, which covers dealerships and customers located within Solarcity's few state service areas. This includes other efficiency upgrades for customers such as weatherization, a practice of protecting establishments and its interior from all weather (sunlight, precipitation, wind) and modifying it to reduce energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency.
     Not a bad deal if they're planning to be ahead of the other car manufacturers to be on a head-on competition with Tesla Motors, right? What do you think?

UPS, the delivery giant, gets involved with solar!

      

      Within these past few year, many companies have been getting involved with solar-powered technology as it is impacting the world on a global level. They have mostly been focusing on producing and installing solar panels to obtain electricity in a healthy cost-efficient way. One major corporation, known as the UPS, realized its benefits in this expanding time and has made it official by announcing its latest project, in installing solar energy installations in its locations in Parsippany and Secaucus, New Jersey.
      The project that was constructed in Parsippany, New Jersey, was a 1.2 megawatt installation that was completed last Fall in the year of 2012. The project in Secaucus is said to also produce a 1.2 megawatt installation that will be completed at the end of Spring this year. In a public statement, Steve Leffin, whom is the director of global sustainability at UPS, claimed that he and his team will be overseeing every aspect of the design and installations, which he believes to be extremely beneficial.
      "Federal and state government incentives and state government incentives encouraged our investments in solar energy sources," said Steve Leffin. "We develop, engineer, own and operate our solar capacity, which is a departure from contracted power-purchase agreements in which a company pays a solar power provider for a set price of electricity for 20 years. Under this arrangement, we not only benefit at UPS, but can also help community power grids by providing a hedge against possible energy price hikes during peak usage times."

Source : UPS pressroom