Solar

Tate Director Nicholas Serota has got behind an off-grid lighting initiative by a leading Artist.

Olafur Eliasson’s new work is a solar-powered lamp that he and his engineer partner, Frederik Ottesen, designed and developed. It will be launched at Tate Modern later this month, and visitors will be able to view parts fo the exhibitions solely with its light.

Designed to look like an iconic sun image, with a light on the front and solar panels on the back, the Little Sun looks set to sell millions of units.

The fact the lamp was designed by an artist was important. “People want beautiful things in their lives; they want something they can use with pride . . . everyone wants something that’s not just about functionality but also spirituality.”

Whether you are living off the grid, or just moving around away from power outlets for your smartphone or laptop, solar chargers can be a life-saver. They also help reduce your carbon footprint by using natural energy rather than electricity. but its vital to carry the right one, or you will find yourself in a remote spot with no phone or wireless.
Two of the leading products are Solio and Power Monkey but they are not in the same league. True they can both recharge an iPhone or HTC in less than a day under a cloudless sky, but there the similarity ends.

Expert tests of the Solio Bolt and Powertraveller Powermonkey Explorer, two solar chargers that can recharge portable electronics such as cellphones, handheld GPS devices and e-book readers found the Solio to come a very distant second.
The $60 Bolt is easy to set up, but doesn’t hold as much power as the Powermonkey, and it has some design flaws. The Powermonkey is more expensive at $89, and has more parts to it, but it’s worth it since it has a larger battery and works even when the sky is slightly cloudy. The Bolt is light and compact, but there’s no easy way to carry it on a backpack or even lay it out on a car’s dashboard. Also, the multifunction button on back isn’t protected enough and can be easily pressed by accident, thus draining any stored energy. This happened several times during testing.
The Bolt might offer the convenience of an all-in-one design, but the Powermonkey Explorer can give devices more charge on the go with little maintenance, making it the better portable solar charger.THere is also a more powerful version of the Powermonkey – though it costs twice as much

Looking for free solar power and live in North Wales?

Farms and rural businesses without mains electricity in Conwy, a costal community at the tip of Snowdonia National Park North Wales, are being invited to take apply for free solar power installation in a trial funded by the local government. 

With meters running backwards, utilities seek a niche

Are you thinking of switching from conventional energy to solar power? A rooftop solar PV power plant is not only a money-saver, it can also generate cash by supplying excess power to neighbours or the local power company.
In No Name Key, the Florida community where money-grubbing locals recently stumped up $650,000 to bring Utility power onshore, the economics of solar power has been transformed. The existing solar homes will now be able to wring a hefty income from the Keys Utility company which has laid the cables into the island paid for by those who want to push up property prices.

The long-awaited Trade War with China has started. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke (pictured with President Obama) has slapped a retroactive tax on all Chinese solar panel imports. Other OECD countries are expected to follow suit.

The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a preliminary “trade-remedy” finding that Chinese energy companies like GCL which rely on state sponsorship of its solar industry, are anti-competitive under U.S. and international trade law, and ordered preliminary duties on the industry’s U.S. exports of crystalline silicon solar cells and panels to offset the effects of China’s illegal subsidies.

Commerce will require importers of record to post deposits or bonds toward anti-subsidy margins of 2.9 percent for cells and panels made by Suntech, 4.73 percent Trina Solar and 3.59 percent for all other Chinese manufacturers.