Binghamton Univ. researchers focus on solar power technology
By Vanessa Ebbeling, Staff Writer, October 23, 2008
Source: PressConnects.com
http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20081023/NEWS01/810230359/1001
Binghamton University researchers will use $4 million in federal money to develop cheap solar power technology that’s capable of producing and storing large amounts of energy. The initiative — made possible by funds secured by U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey — will propel BU to the forefront of solar-energy research and could attract businesses to the area, officials said at a news conference Wednesday.
“We here in the Southern Tier are now in a situation where we’re going to set an example,” said Hinchey, D-Hurley. “This is really dynamic.” Researchers at the Center for Autonomous Solar Power in BU’s Innovative Technologies Complex will focus on harnessing the sun’s energy with flexible, thin-film solar cells.
Though energy from the sun is plentiful, solar energy isn’t commonly used because it requires bulky, expensive materials, said Seshu Desu, dean of the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science.
BU’s research is aimed at producing solar energy technology that’s thin enough to be applied to almost any space with materials that would last decades. Desu envisions developing flexible and thin solar panels that if sewn into jackets could power cell phones and personal digital assistants.
The sun provides enough energy in an hour to power the Earth’s needs for an entire year, Desu said. “If you look at it that way, there really is no energy problem,” Desu said. “The challenge is how do we harness the energy.”
The technology could be ready for the market in four to five years, Desu said. The center will draw expertise from engineering, computer science, chemistry and physics. Researchers will develop new technologies for defense, energy, aerospace, consumer and industrial customers.
Officials hope the research will draw manufacturers and other companies to the region. “This is a win-win-win,” Schumer said. “And best of all, it creates jobs in the Southern Tier.”