Renewable Energy Forum

Solar power is a technology people around the world are keen to perfect. With many governments pledging to reach net-zero over the next 10 to 30 years, securing reliable alternatives to fossil fuels is essential. Researchers at GlobalData  believe that space-based solar power (SBSP) could be the key to a total transition to green energy. SBSP involves using mirror-like reflectors, which are positioned on satellites moving around Earth’s orbit. These reflectors would concentrate the sun’s energy onto solar panels, allowing for power to be harnessed outside of daylight hours. At the moment solar panels collect power for an average of 29 per cent of the day, but SBSP would mean they could be illuminated 99 per cent of the time. For now, SBSP is purely conceptual, but scientists do believe it could be a reality soon. The US Naval Research Laboratory conducted its first test in this field in May last year. Earlier this year scientists in South Korea created  the first fully transparent sola

  A material commonly used in solar panels has been found to repair itself when damaged - and scientists think this ability could be vital for the future of clean energy. The substance, called antimony selenide, is what’s known as a solar absorber material. This means it can be used to harness solar energy and convert this power into electricity. The  team at the University of York, UK  who made the discovery are now looking at how this technology could be used to create longer-lasting solar panels, which could potentially 'self-heal' when damaged. One of the biggest hindrances to progress in this type of technology is the reliability and longevity of cells. Currently, solar panels have an average lifespan of between 25-30 years, so developing technology which can repair itself could be a crucial breakthrough. Antimony selenide’s surprising self-healing capability is similar to when a starfish or reptile regrows a limb after an accident, explains Professor Keith McKenna who led

  Wind and solar are intermittent energy resources. Therefore, the energy supply from these resources is not predictable. In theory however, this situation can be solved easily. To get a constant power output from a solar or wind power system, it is only necessary to size the system larger and to store the surplus energy for later use. In practice, however, the solution is not so simple because large-scale Energy Storage Systems (ESS) are currently quite expensive. There are three emerging technologies in ESSs that could become viable for solar and wind in the near future. Smart batteries Thermal energy storage Hydrogen fuel cells Smart Batteries - this is perhaps the first ESS that comes to mind when the concept is mentioned. Moreover, it is in the limelight since the launch of the Tesla Powerwall. The principle is simple: surplus generation from solar or wind power systems is stored in batteries and used when it is needed or when it is considered convenient. Batteries equipped with a