Solar Cells Info

Powered by the South African Sun. The first solar-powered traffic light in South Africa
By: Christy van der Merwe, 12 Oct 07
Source: Engineering News
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=118129

Nonfunctioning traffic lights, caused by power cuts, are a motorist’s nightmare and cause untold delays, hence the enthusiasm in Cape Town, where the first solar-powered traffic light in South Africa is now functioning.  The pilot site, an eight-robot intersection on Plantation road, Lotus River, has been fitted with a four-square-metre solar panel and battery packs to capture energy from the sun, and began opera-ting on October 1.
(more…)

Mudasir Ali, Srinagar, Sept 23, 2007
Source: GreaterKashmir.com
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=24_9_2007&ItemID=17&cat=5
A study by Directorate of Economics and Statistics has discovered chinks in the distribution of solar domestic lights in rural areas of Varmul under Photolitic Technology Distribution System (PTDS) by the rural development authority (RDA). The PTDS was introduced by the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Authority (JKEDA) in the state to ‘bridge the gap’ between demand and supply of electricity in the rural areas. (more…)

Sapa, Oct 11, 2007
Source: The Times (of Zambia)
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=584940

South Africa’s first set of solar-powered traffic lights survived the outage which cut power to ordinary traffic lights in Cape Town last night.  Neville Abrams, who could see them from his house, said that the traffic lights were the only lights in the blacked-out neighbourhood.  “It was great. It was like having a guard outside and it felt like nothing was going to happen to us.”

Barry Bredenkamp, Operations Manager of the National Energy Efficiency Agency, said the robots’ successful negotiation of its first hurdle was great news.  “It’s fantastic to hear that the energy efficient solar set of traffic lights is working come rain or shine, especially with the traffic news totally packed with reports of lights knocked out because of bad weather.”

He added that it was still early days as the pilot site – funded by Eskom – would be tested for a three-month period.  The set was installed in Cape Town at the beginning of the month and is being monitored by solar experts.

By Eve Samples, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
October 05, 2007
Source: Palm Beach Post.com
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/
epaper/2007/10/05/a1d_solar_1005.html

When dusk fades to dark in Fallujah, Iraq, more than 1,000 of Steve Robbins’ solar-powered lights illuminate the streets.  Contractors started installing the lights, manufactured at the Martin County headquarters of his Solar Electric Power Co., this summer as part of an Army Corps of Engineers project in the violence-plagued Iraqi town.  For the corps, they’re part of an effort to make Fallujah safer. For SEPCO, as Robbins’ company is known, the $4 million contract is the company’s largest yet – and it represents big possibilities for its solar devices.
(more…)

Low-cost lighting system developed by THRIVE, a local NGO, is all set to light up Kenya and the eastern parts of Africa
Hyderabad, India, Oct 15, 2007
Source: The Hindu Online
http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/15/stories/2007101568180400.htm

In an era of competitive globalisation, small-time innovations rarely find their deserving place. But a low-cost innovation developed here is all set to light up the eastern parts of Africa.  Beginning with Kenya, white light emitting diode (LED) for clean lighting, the innovation of a local non-Governmental organisation, is set to penetrate the Dark Continent. THRIVE (Jumbled acronym for Volunteers for Rural Health Education and Information Technology) has signed an agreement with Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) for promoting the low-cost lighting technology there, with an initial export of 10,000 pieces to Kenya.
(more…)

BULDON, Shariff Kabunsuan, October 16, 2007
Source:Sunstar.com
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/gen/2007/10/16/news/
sun.power.to.light.100.more.mindanao.villages.html

Ravaged by the 2000 all-out war declared by then President Joseph Estrada, at least 80 villagers here have been rewarded with solar panel systems of a United States-funded program.  The program vowed to light 100 more villages until next year. Barangay Kulimpang forms part of Camp Abubakar, the main camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that fell into the hands of the government the same year.
(more…)

Tapan Chakravorti, Ranchi October 9, 2007
Source:Business Standard
http://www.business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?
leftnm=lmnu2&subLeft=2&autono=300667&tab=r

Paharsingh is a hamlet, situated about 52 km from Ranchi. The village has a population of only 87 people, belonging to the primitive Birhor tribe.  Till a few months ago, the village had no source of drinking water. The villagers had to collect water from a hand pump located in a far-off village.  However, their water woes came to an end when a solar water pump of 1,200W capacity was installed in the village. The initiative was taken by Jharkhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (JREDA), run by the Jharkhand government. The agency works with the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy.
(more…)

By Brandon Reed, Madrid, Oct 10, 2007
Source: Reuters UK
http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKL1051297620071010

Photovoltaic solar power plants are springing up throughout Spain, capitalizing on special tariffs for renewable energies and exceeding the government’s expectations.  With the current momentum, Spain will be over its target for 2010 of 400 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) power by next summer, possibly having somewhere between 800 MW and 1,200 MW, according to the Industry Ministry.  “We already have 80 percent of the target,” Industry Minister Joan Clos said at a European energy conference in Madrid earlier in October.
(more…)

14 Oct, 2007
Source: 7Days.ae
http://www.7days.ae/en/2007/10/14/sold-on-solar-power.html

Environmentalists, politicians and the media have been focusing on global warming and the necessity for us to be ‘greener’ for some time now, but how many of us have actually done anything to try and make a difference? A glance around this emirate quickly shows that over-sized 4×4 gas-guzzling cars are still the motor of choice on Dubai roads and that Dubai’s public is determined to continue its love affair with plastic, despite the fact that reusable grocery bags – the ‘greener’ option – are widely (more…)

Oct 15, 2007
Source: OneNews- Technology, TVNZ
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1320238/1404463

Reflective dishes may be the answer to make solar energy competitive with conventional sources of power, Israeli scientists say.  A global race is on to find energy alternatives as subsidies tip the balance in favour of renewable sources of power, which answer security and climate change concerns about fossil fuels. New-found demand for one such renewable source, solar energy, has sucked up supply of the silicon raw material, prompting a search for alternatives. A team at Israel’s Ben Gurion University believe they have found just that, in a far less known material that is more expensive than silicon but also more efficient when used with a reflective dish.
(more…)