Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Samsung: More new digicams, camcorders
With half our news team in the air on the way to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and the other half swamped back in the office by the fact that the whole world has chosen to make their CES announcements the day before the show -- we're currently standing at 30 cameras announced in the last 17 hours -- we've unfortunately yet to finish preparing our coverage of these cameras. Although the news coverage itself isn't ready, we've now posted our Samsung ST700 preview and Samsung WB210 preview, so interested readers can find the details on those digital cameras on their respective preview pages. As well as the ST700 and WB210, Samsung has also announced three further new still cameras. These are the PL120, PL170, and PL210, and previews of these cameras, as well as news coverage for the entire group will be posted as soon as we've completed writing them.
Monday, January 11, 2010
MIDDLE EAST/MED REGION COULD SOLAR POWER WORLD
Countries that move fast, the study suggests, could have the competitive advantage. Who could take the lead: MENA countries, especially ones located on the Arabian Peninsula, as well as others like Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel could be. These countries are no strangers to the notion of solar power, and Green Prophet has covered countless articles touting solar energy in the Middle East.
One of the region's leading solar energy development countries, Israel, has even been asked by the UN to increase its development of solar energy. Despite being an instrumental innovator through companies such as BrightSource or Solel, Israel's own use of solar power at home more closely resembles that of a developing nation.
The Khaleej Times article pointed out that countries in the MENA region have the "greatest potential for solar regeneration" supplying 45% of the world's energy sources possible through renewable energy. Renewable energy sources of interest in this region include Abu Dhabi's Masdar City as well as its hosting of the World Renewable Energy Agency headquarters . Known as IRENA, this center could fuel development in the whole region.
A big problem, however, is under-funding of renewable energy projects, due to a big abundance of oil and other fossil fuels, says Beirut based Ibrahim El Hussenei, a partner in the London based energy project development company, Booz & Company whose representatives were present at the COP 15 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
One of the region's leading solar energy development countries, Israel, has even been asked by the UN to increase its development of solar energy. Despite being an instrumental innovator through companies such as BrightSource or Solel, Israel's own use of solar power at home more closely resembles that of a developing nation.
The Khaleej Times article pointed out that countries in the MENA region have the "greatest potential for solar regeneration" supplying 45% of the world's energy sources possible through renewable energy. Renewable energy sources of interest in this region include Abu Dhabi's Masdar City as well as its hosting of the World Renewable Energy Agency headquarters . Known as IRENA, this center could fuel development in the whole region.
A big problem, however, is under-funding of renewable energy projects, due to a big abundance of oil and other fossil fuels, says Beirut based Ibrahim El Hussenei, a partner in the London based energy project development company, Booz & Company whose representatives were present at the COP 15 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
Friendly Technology That Can Save You Money
The Solar Boiler collects energy from the sun and converts it into hot water.
Domestic hot water is the second-highest energy cost in the typical household. In fact, for some homes it can be the highest energy expenditure. Solar water heating can now reduce your domestic water heating costs by as much as 65%.
The Thermo Dynamics' Solar Boiler is today's state-of-the-art solar water-heating appliance. Designed to pre-heat the domestic water that is supplied to your conventional water heater, it can result in remarkable savings. It's easy to install and maintenance free. The installation package contains all the necessary hardware and complete instructions. As a homeowner, you can install it yourself or have your local Thermo Dynamics dealer do it for you.
All parts of the system are built to demanding specifications, employing the latest solar technology for maximum performance. The Solar Boiler is manufactured from readily-available components, ensuring lower costs and reliability. The solar collectors are constructed of aluminum, copper, and tempered glass. The assembly incorporates the MICRO-FLO® absorber, a continuous tube with only two connections for effortless installation.
Domestic hot water is the second-highest energy cost in the typical household. In fact, for some homes it can be the highest energy expenditure. Solar water heating can now reduce your domestic water heating costs by as much as 65%.
The Thermo Dynamics' Solar Boiler is today's state-of-the-art solar water-heating appliance. Designed to pre-heat the domestic water that is supplied to your conventional water heater, it can result in remarkable savings. It's easy to install and maintenance free. The installation package contains all the necessary hardware and complete instructions. As a homeowner, you can install it yourself or have your local Thermo Dynamics dealer do it for you.
All parts of the system are built to demanding specifications, employing the latest solar technology for maximum performance. The Solar Boiler is manufactured from readily-available components, ensuring lower costs and reliability. The solar collectors are constructed of aluminum, copper, and tempered glass. The assembly incorporates the MICRO-FLO® absorber, a continuous tube with only two connections for effortless installation.
Beijing Pinggu Solar Cell Projects
One on the 100 meters long black shiny "Yong Lu" in the foot extension, which consists of nearly ten thousand pieces paved amorphous silicon thin film solar plate, becoming the nation's largest rooftop solar power station. In June 2010, 150 megawatt amorphous silicon thin-film solar cell project will be in Beijing Pinggu all the green energy industry base built for Beijing to provide 220 million degrees per year of green electricity, equivalent to a 30-million people in the city's one-year electricity and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions of 150,000 tons, to achieve the world's lowest production costs - an average of less than 1 U.S. dollars per watt.
A year ago, the green energy industry base in Beijing is just a concept, large-scale solar power plants have not even drawn sketches. Today, the first phase of a planned area of 133 hectares to the green industry base in Beijing where they stand, the nation's largest amorphous silicon thin film solar production line is already running, a total investment of more than 4 billion yuan of biomass power generation, semiconductor Industrial Park, Green can be high-end Equipment R & D manufacturing projects, ultrafiltration membrane modules, membrane bio-reactor and a number of major green project settled Pinggu.
Beijing Green Energy Industrial Base - mafang Industrial Development Zone Management Committee, director of weeks Takemitsu wrote: Pinggu is the capital of the ecological conservation development zones, one of its functional orientation is clean manufacturing center. "The traditional view is that high returns inevitably accompanied by high energy consumption, like the Dell LATITUDE D800 laptop battery. This energy efficiency between the 'game', in Pinggu directly reflects the high energy consumption, high pollution and low value-added projects, regardless of effectiveness, all 'PASS'. "
A year ago, the green energy industry base in Beijing is just a concept, large-scale solar power plants have not even drawn sketches. Today, the first phase of a planned area of 133 hectares to the green industry base in Beijing where they stand, the nation's largest amorphous silicon thin film solar production line is already running, a total investment of more than 4 billion yuan of biomass power generation, semiconductor Industrial Park, Green can be high-end Equipment R & D manufacturing projects, ultrafiltration membrane modules, membrane bio-reactor and a number of major green project settled Pinggu.
Beijing Green Energy Industrial Base - mafang Industrial Development Zone Management Committee, director of weeks Takemitsu wrote: Pinggu is the capital of the ecological conservation development zones, one of its functional orientation is clean manufacturing center. "The traditional view is that high returns inevitably accompanied by high energy consumption, like the Dell LATITUDE D800 laptop battery. This energy efficiency between the 'game', in Pinggu directly reflects the high energy consumption, high pollution and low value-added projects, regardless of effectiveness, all 'PASS'. "
Residential Solar Energy And How You Can Use It To Produce A Better Life
Residential solar energy may be a hot topic nowadays with the global recession, increasing issues for world warming and the looming threat to the protection of world oil supplies. Many folks are seeking a solution to cut back their monthly energy bill and to scale back their dependence on fossil fuels. One place people have turned for solutions is solar technologies.
The use of residential solar energy provides the measurable edges of reducing or even eliminating your monthly energy bill and reducing or eliminating your use of electricity generated by fossil fuel burning power plants. There are a few alternative benefits that are less measurable but equally important like pride of ownership.
Residential solar energy covers many completely different varieties of solar systems. The most common types are on and off grid solar cells that produce electricity for your home, hot water systems and hot air systems. The most economical at utilizing the sun's energy are the recent water and hot air systems as they need the fewest range of energy conversions.
Energy conversion in residential solar energy is a crucial topic that relates to the general efficiency of your system. A solar panel system takes energy from photons in sunlight and converts it to electricity, then that electricity is converted into lighting in a very light-weight bulb, heat in your furnace or hot water in your solar air heater. At each step of this method energy is lost within the inefficiencies of the conversion process.
Currently residential solar energy with respect to hot water systems only has one energy conversion and thence a much higher potency than electrical systems. In a very solar hot water system the sun's light is converted on to heat energy within the water and also the water is then used for cooking, cleaning, taking showers and heating your home. For this reason solar hot water systems are comparatively economical, straightforward and effective.
Hot air residential solar energy is the same as the hot water systems. The warmth from the sun is captured and transferred to the air circulating inside of the system with a solar to air heat exchanger. The warm air at the outlet of the heat exchanger is then circulated in your home for heating purposes.
The use of residential solar energy provides the measurable edges of reducing or even eliminating your monthly energy bill and reducing or eliminating your use of electricity generated by fossil fuel burning power plants. There are a few alternative benefits that are less measurable but equally important like pride of ownership.
Residential solar energy covers many completely different varieties of solar systems. The most common types are on and off grid solar cells that produce electricity for your home, hot water systems and hot air systems. The most economical at utilizing the sun's energy are the recent water and hot air systems as they need the fewest range of energy conversions.
Energy conversion in residential solar energy is a crucial topic that relates to the general efficiency of your system. A solar panel system takes energy from photons in sunlight and converts it to electricity, then that electricity is converted into lighting in a very light-weight bulb, heat in your furnace or hot water in your solar air heater. At each step of this method energy is lost within the inefficiencies of the conversion process.
Currently residential solar energy with respect to hot water systems only has one energy conversion and thence a much higher potency than electrical systems. In a very solar hot water system the sun's light is converted on to heat energy within the water and also the water is then used for cooking, cleaning, taking showers and heating your home. For this reason solar hot water systems are comparatively economical, straightforward and effective.
Hot air residential solar energy is the same as the hot water systems. The warmth from the sun is captured and transferred to the air circulating inside of the system with a solar to air heat exchanger. The warm air at the outlet of the heat exchanger is then circulated in your home for heating purposes.
Fidelis Energy Announces $25 Million Solar Energy Facility in India’s Thar Desert
Fidelis Energy Inc. (Beverly Hills, CA) (Pink Sheets: FDEI) reports a $25 million agreement with Esar Solar Power Pvt. Ltd. (ESP), a Jaipur-based company, to develop and construct the first of several solar energy projects located in the Thar Desert near Jaisalmer, India. The region is destined to become the world's biggest solar power house as it basks in an average of 330 days of sunshine per year and receives up to 6.2KW per hour of solar energy per square meter everyday, which is the highest in the world.
Within the scope of this project, which firmly establishes Fidelis in the international arena of solar power developers, Fidelis Energy will design and construct a multi-megawatt solar power system that will supply and support the community's energy grid system to meet a consistently increasing demand.
"India represents the first of many untapped solar power markets that Fidelis plans to enter in 2010 and 2011," said James Poole, CEO of Fidelis Energy Inc. "While international projects pose special challenges for solar energy producers, such as identifying proper high voltage lines and the ownership of the property prior to system installation," added Poole, "our unique ability and expertise to overcome such challenges makes Fidelis Energy the natural choice for clients with challenging power needs."
Recognizing the role that solar power will play in the global search for cleaner and more abundant energy sources, Fidelis Energy has built the infrastructure necessary to support this type of international expansion to facilitate the development of large-scale projects at an accelerated pace to support global power needs.
Fidelis Energy will provide the technology, engineering and construction services needed to create the PV Project. ESP has signed a 10-year power purchase and sale agreement with the state's government-owned power distribution company.
"We recognize that the continued use of fossil fuels negatively impacts both the economy and the environment," said Esar Solar Power Chairman Jagdish Singh. "As such, ESP is determined to meet a portion of India's energy requirements by developing several large solar photovoltaic cell projects (PV Projects), which will generate electricity from sunlight. Fidelis has shown that it has the ability and innovative construction techniques to execute this contract, and we look forward to this project beginning in May of 2010," added Singh. "It is the goal of both parties to complete the construction of the five megawatt (5MW) PV Project and start its operations before October of 2010."
Within the scope of this project, which firmly establishes Fidelis in the international arena of solar power developers, Fidelis Energy will design and construct a multi-megawatt solar power system that will supply and support the community's energy grid system to meet a consistently increasing demand.
"India represents the first of many untapped solar power markets that Fidelis plans to enter in 2010 and 2011," said James Poole, CEO of Fidelis Energy Inc. "While international projects pose special challenges for solar energy producers, such as identifying proper high voltage lines and the ownership of the property prior to system installation," added Poole, "our unique ability and expertise to overcome such challenges makes Fidelis Energy the natural choice for clients with challenging power needs."
Recognizing the role that solar power will play in the global search for cleaner and more abundant energy sources, Fidelis Energy has built the infrastructure necessary to support this type of international expansion to facilitate the development of large-scale projects at an accelerated pace to support global power needs.
Fidelis Energy will provide the technology, engineering and construction services needed to create the PV Project. ESP has signed a 10-year power purchase and sale agreement with the state's government-owned power distribution company.
"We recognize that the continued use of fossil fuels negatively impacts both the economy and the environment," said Esar Solar Power Chairman Jagdish Singh. "As such, ESP is determined to meet a portion of India's energy requirements by developing several large solar photovoltaic cell projects (PV Projects), which will generate electricity from sunlight. Fidelis has shown that it has the ability and innovative construction techniques to execute this contract, and we look forward to this project beginning in May of 2010," added Singh. "It is the goal of both parties to complete the construction of the five megawatt (5MW) PV Project and start its operations before October of 2010."
Monday, November 23, 2009
Opening of Florida solar-energy facility
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama promoted the smart grid and renewable energy at the opening of Florida Power & Light's DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center (shown). The facility consists of more than 90,500 solar panels, making it the largest solar-photovoltaic plant in the country and, according to FPL, its annual estimated generation is about 42,000 megawatt hours.
The president outlined how the federal government is making a $3.4 billion investment from Recovery Act funds to modernize the country's electric grid with a goal of creating a more-reliable, more-efficient system. "But getting there will take a few more days like this one and more projects like this one," said the president. "And I have often said that the creation of such an economy is going to require nothing less than the sustained effort of an entire nation—an all-hands-on-deck approach similar to the mobilization that preceded World War II or the Apollo Project."
If you're interested in using solar power at your home, read our report on solar water heaters from the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports and look for ongoing coverage of these devices on this blog, such as this testing update from earlier this month.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook
Essential information: The president referred to World War II the other day, and it was during this era that George Löf undertook his first experiments with solar power. Löf, a solar innovator who died earlier this month at the age of 95, is credited with creating one of the earliest solar-heated homes in this country, according to his obituary in The Wall Street Journal. Löf's system consisted of a large glass roof panel that heated a pile of gravel in the basement, which in turn warmed the house.
The president outlined how the federal government is making a $3.4 billion investment from Recovery Act funds to modernize the country's electric grid with a goal of creating a more-reliable, more-efficient system. "But getting there will take a few more days like this one and more projects like this one," said the president. "And I have often said that the creation of such an economy is going to require nothing less than the sustained effort of an entire nation—an all-hands-on-deck approach similar to the mobilization that preceded World War II or the Apollo Project."
If you're interested in using solar power at your home, read our report on solar water heaters from the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports and look for ongoing coverage of these devices on this blog, such as this testing update from earlier this month.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook
Essential information: The president referred to World War II the other day, and it was during this era that George Löf undertook his first experiments with solar power. Löf, a solar innovator who died earlier this month at the age of 95, is credited with creating one of the earliest solar-heated homes in this country, according to his obituary in The Wall Street Journal. Löf's system consisted of a large glass roof panel that heated a pile of gravel in the basement, which in turn warmed the house.
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