Solar Cells Info

Berkeley, California,  30 October 2007
Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50423

The City of Berkeley, California is set to become the first city in the U.S. to allow property owners to pay for solar system installation and energy efficiency improvements as a long-term assessment on their individual property tax bill.  Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates will ask the City Council to approve the framework for a “Sustainable Energy Financing District” at their November 6th Council meeting.
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by Jeff Gire, Nov 1, 2007
Source: MilpitasPost.com
http://www.themilpitaspost.com/schools/ci_7342530

When recycling was introduced to schools years ago, parents who accidentally dropped a glass bottle or aluminum can into the trash got a critical look from their youngster. Now, those recycling-conscious students who have grown up to have children might soon be getting similar discriminating stares when their kids notice that their roof has no solar panels.  Following the lead of San Jose Unified School District, the Milpitas Unified School District has begun taking steps to receive as much as 30 percent of its energy needs from on-campus solar panels.
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SolarCity challenges residents to place big orders
By Stephanie I. Cohen,
South Orange, NJ, Oct 30, 2007
Source:Marketwatch.com
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/neighbors-go-solar-together-save/
story.aspx?guid=%7BDA1E6E39-0126-4459-9A3F-2298B88EE487%7D

Convincing a group of neighbors to agree on anything is rarely easy. But in a growing number of communities in the U.S. over the past year neighbors have proven fairly persuasive at influencing dozens of their peers to spend $25,000 or more on a rooftop solar system.  It started in Portola Valley, Calif., a sunny community 35 miles south of San Francisco. In December, 78 of the town’s 1,700 homes decided to pool their purchasing power and call in a large order for residential solar systems.
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Submitted by Layer 8, Oct 23, 2007
Source: Networkworld
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/20935

The Panasonic World Solar Challenge is underway in Australia where 41 solar-powered cars – with four teams from the US – are racing 1,870 miles across the country’s rugged Northern Territory to try to win the 20th running of the event when it ends on Thursday.
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By Paul Sussman for CNN,
London, England, Oct 26, 2007
Source: CNN.com
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/10/24/solar.race/

If, by some extraordinary feat of filmic conjuring, you somehow spliced Death Race 2000, Back to the Future and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, editing out the violence, time travel and transvestism, but keeping in the racing, futuristic cars and Australian scenery, you’d probably end up with something vaguely resembling the Panasonic World Solar Challenge.

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Challenge is the world’s premier long-distance race for solar-powered vehicles, with competitors traveling 3000 kms along the Stuart Highway from Darwin in the far north of Australia to Adelaide in the south in cars powered solely by sunlight.
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Oct 25, 2007
Source: PhysOrg.com
http://www.physorg.com/news112539945.html
The Dutch Nuon team won the World Solar Challenge Thursday after racing 3,000 kilometres (1,865 miles) across Australia’s desert outback against competitors from across the world.

The sleek, sun-powered Nuna4 reached the final checkpoint at Angle Vale in the southern city of Adelaide late Thursday afternoon after setting off from the northern outpost of Darwin on Sunday morning. The car will continue on to the ceremonial finish line in Adelaide’s Victoria Square tomorrow. (more…)

by Mary Anne Simpson, Nov 1, 2007
Source: PhysOrg.Com
http://www.physorg.com/news113135176.html

The Prefecture of Fukushima, Japan and the Total Mobility Project have announced the creation of a solar powered auto converted from a standard Mazda Roadster. The joint efforts of government and citizen groups are attempting to address the needs of its aging and retirement age citizens.
A project sponsored by the Prefecture of Fukushima, Japan and a group focused on providing aging seniors a better lifestyle, Total Mobility has converted a Mazda Roadster into a solar driving machine. The combined efforts of government and private sector technology are seeking to provide affordable accessibility to the city for the projected large number of retirement age Japanese workers.
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By Tarra Quismundo, Inquirer
Manila, Philippines, Nov. 3, 2007
Source: Inquirer.net
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/
view_article.php?article_id=98463

Filipino ingenuity and faith powered the Philippines’ rookie solar car race team to reach the finish line of the 3000-kilometer World Solar Challenge in Australia.  All first-timers in solar car construction and operation, the 15-man Team Sinag (ray of light) carried the Philippine flag through the finish line of the WSC desert race, reportedly the most prestigious competition for solar-powered cars. (more…)

Motonobu Kawai, Nikkei Electronics, Nov 02, 2007
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20071102/141765/

“I knew someone would point it out,” said a Mitsubishi attendant in response to my question.  Mitsubishi Motor Corp is drawing interest by displaying its “i MiEV Sport” concept electric vehicle equipped with a thin-film solar cell system at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show. I was interested in the thin-film cells’ fat wires like those in crystal Si cells. So I asked the booth attendant about it, and he gave me a secret of the solar cell system, starting with the phrase above.
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October 16, 2007
Source. Gizmag.com /from ecoGizmo
http://www.gizmag.com/go/8181/

The 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge kicks off this Sunday October 21. An established platform for the promotion and development of sustainable energy in transport, the biennial race runs for seven days and covers a distance of 3000 km (nearly 1900 miles) from Darwin to Adelaide in Australia. This year 40 teams from across the globe will compete including the Avivasolarcar, a vehicle capable of achieving speeds of up to 75kmh (47mph) while emitting no carbon dioxide and using less electricity than is generated by a toaster.
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