solar powered gadgets!

Hey everyone


I happened to come across some quirky gadgets/infrastructure on the internet which are powered using solar energy! Amazing. enjoy (:

1. POWER PURSE






















This solar powered bag is completely covered in mini solar panels that can draw power from sunlight. There is an internal built-in USB port for charging cell phones or other favorite mobile devices without the need for carrying around chargers. Designed by Joe Hynek, a student at Iowa State University, the estimated cost of this purse is $300. Gadget loving ladies and secure men with an eye for designer fashion and a love of gadgets might find the power purse as useful as it is stylish. who ever said cutting edge fashion was cheap?

2. Giant chandelier

















This chandelier design by Christoph Klemmt is truly the superhero of lighting fixtures. Besides the obvious aesthetic qualities, the segments that make up the structure itself gradually change from clear to brightly colored when struck by direct sunlight. It also gathers the power from the sun's rays and uses it to illuminate the LEDs scattered along the surface. The piece was previously on exhibit at the Milan furniture fair 2008.

3. Solar powered beer cooling!





















Researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are currently creating a thin-film solar power technology that can stick to all kinds of surfaces, including beer bottles. This technology will be capable of shrinking solar panels to micrometer-thin tiles that could potentially replace climate-control systems, or in the most practical case: keep beer colder, longer.


4. Solar powered LED water bottle

















This is a pretty good device for outdoor enthusiasts. The SolLight water bottle features an LED light that will light up the entire bottle. Even better, it is solar powered. One full charge of the LED will provide upwards of eight to 10 hours of illumination.

5. Ferris wheel















Santa Monica has delivered a bright and shiny upgrade to its Pacific Ferris Wheel, dismantling the old one to make way for a new behemoth that boasts 160,000 LED lights. The 90-foot ride, manufactured by Chance Morgan Rides, delivers visual performances every night and cost the city $1.5 million. Thanks to solar panels that soak up energy during the day to power the wheel, those extravagant light shows have a minuscule carbon footprint.

When it was built in 1996, the Pacific Wheel was the only solar powered ferris wheel in the world. The old wheel was auctioned off on eBay for over $130,000 to an Oklahoma City real-estate developer.

That's all for now! you guys can check out http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/solar-powered/ for more.

:D peiyu

Hello!
i've found smth on the net which is an animation (:
It explains how batteries store electrical energy and also illustrate how to connect photovoltaic cells for home use.
It shows how light energy is converted into electrical energy by using photovoltaic panels.
(Photovoltaic panels consist of many cells made of semiconductor material)
Batteries are then used to store this energy during the day and to release it back at night.

http://www.edumedia-sciences.com/a188_l2-solar-energy.html

Some pictures of flat-plate photovoltaic collectors (panels).
They absorb both energy coming directly from the sun's disc, and diffuse and reflected energy coming from other directions.
In general, flat-plate photovoltaic panels are mounted in a fixed position and tilted toward the south to optimize noontime and daily energy production.
However, it is common to see flat-plate photovoltaic panels mounted on mechanisms that track the sun about one tilted axis, thereby increasing the daily output of the panels.
















You all can go to http://www.powerfromthesun.net/chapter1/Chapter1.htm for more info on that!
it gives quite alot of info on solar energy (:


:D
Chin Wen :)
(ps. Jiayou for the research for the poster!)

HELLO!
i went for an energy efficiency course and i learnt something that was related to our SIA topic ;D

There are few ways to harness the sun's energy.
a) By photosynthesis
b) By direct heating which can be active or passive
c) By the use of photovoltaic cells

1.1) Photosynthesis
Plants obtain their energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process whereby solar energy is stored in the chemical bonds of a carbohydrate molecule. In fact, the energy from fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas are also produced in this way millions of years ago.

1.2) Active & Passive Heating
The easiest way to use the sun's energy is by direct solar heating. Active solar heating uses pumps or fans to circulate the heated fluid. Solar heaters, used for heating water in the house are popular because they are simple, don't pollute and is free to operate. The only drawback is that these heaters are expensive. Using the sun to keep the house cool and warm is called passive solar heating. This usually means designing houses and using materials that keep the house at a comfortable temperature thus reducing the need for air conditioning. Such houses can keep the house cool during the day but store the heat in the night.

Advantages & Disadvantages
It is free, clean and renewable. However, much capital investment is required as the solar panel is very expensive.

1.3) Photovoltaic or Solar Cells
It was discovered in 1939 (A.C. Becquerel) that light can induce a voltage in some materials. This discovery was first put to practical use in the United State's space program when solar cells powered the Skylab and other satellites. Solar cells produce electricity when a photon or light energizers a charge carrier such as an electron (to absorb the sunlight).

Advantages & Disadvantages
Solar energy is clean, free and renewable. However, a few problems exist;

a) Solar intensity is not always constant.
b) The sun doesn't shine at night at the equator.
c) Storing electricity for night use is still expensive and inefficient.
d) Solar cells are still relatively expensive and many are required for major applications.
e) Large open space is required to install solar cells.

- Chinwen (: