The Solar Pocket Factory: An Invention Adventure

Their project, "The Solar Pocket Factory: An Invention Adventure", is the first crowd-funded technological advance on Kickstarter. While other Kickstarter projects typically produce works such as books or programs, theirs promises to give backers the opportunity to be part of the solar power democratic revolution. Anyone with at least dollar to contribute can be a backer of their mission to produce high-quality microsolar panels that last much longer and cost much less than the microsolar panels available today.
Shawn's lab is in Hong Kong, while Alex's lab is here in Metro Manila. They want their microsolar technology to work here because if they can make it robust and affordable enough to be feasible in the Philippines, then it can work anywhere. He explained that the local environment is not only physically tough, but also resource-constrained, as well as "cynical towards solar panels after a string of bad experiences with cheap, low-quality panels." These conditions encourage him to work with greater discipline, focus, and resourcefulness. "No one wants us here," he said. "We don't get to think, 'Oh we're doing to save the world.' It's not just that it allows us to focus on lab work– there's nothing else to focus on. Nobody's lining up to give us money, nobody knows or cares what we're up to. Might as well go to the lab and build a factory." Free from these distractions, he is left to do what he loves best: tinkering and innovating.
Alex considers our country to be conducive not just for innovation, but also for the adoption of this type of innovation. The Philippines has demonstrated previous success in being a trendsetting epicenter for new, low-cost, micro technologies and business concepts such as SMS and sachet products. Microsolar, like the sachet concept, is about taking a product– solar technology– and distributing it in the form of its smallest useable unit– a microsolar panel. The sachet concept, however, increases both waste and long-term cost. Microsolar, while operating on a similar idea, works to reduce waste and long-term cost through the use of clean renewable energy, and high-quality, non-toxic, durable materials. He also mentioned mobile banking, pioneered in Kenya, as another example of a technology that "emerged from a heavily constrained, developing country and made the jump to the rest of the world". Microsolar, he hopes, will be just as widespread.While microsolar presents a powerful way to reduce waste, Alex admitted that recycling would be difficult due to the durability of the panels– they have to be encased in sturdy glass to make them last a decade or longer. The materials, however, are non-toxic– no heavy metals– and the product's long-term durability adds to its sustainability.

LED technology revolutionizes world of lighting

Gary Loyd, owner of the Light House Gallery, says many lighting trends have come and gone in the 50-plus years his business has been in operation.But none, perhaps, have been so great as in the past year when many improvements were made in the realm of light-emitting diode bulbs."LED obviously is the new buzzword, and there's a lot of new technology and new products coming out to conserve energy and long lamp life," Loyd says. "It's changed more in the last year than it has in forever. Of course, energy conservation is pushing that, and it's a good thing. Once you get past the upfront cost of LED, you reduce the usage by about 85 percent, you reduce heat and you increase lamp life."While LED lights have been around since the 1960s, it's only been recently that LED lighting has been able to produce the color spectrum present in incandescent lights.
"Prior to a year ago, the colors were all over the place. Now, they've got consistency. They've got the bugs worked out," Loyd says."Red, blue and green were easy. But to come up with a true white color, it took them years to get it perfected," he says.And while the price for replacing an incandescent bulb with an LED bulb is greater, the life expectancy more than compensates.An incandescent bulb typically lasts about 1,000 hours. "An LED will last a minimum of 30,000 hours, so you're going from 1,000 to 30,000," he says."Put an LED in and you don't have to change a bulb for an average life span of 17 to 19 years," he says, adding that makes them ideal for replacing bulbs in hard-to-reach lighting fixtures. "You don't want to fall off a ladder," Loyd says.
Loyd says his customers are primarily reaching for LEDs for under-counter task lighting.Solar cell efficiency receives a transparent boost.But LED lamps are available in the full spectrum of lighting products, from recessed lighting to decorative chandeliers.In other trends, Loyd says he's also seeing more people rethinking their lighting as they choose to remodel rather than build or move."Because of the interest rates and people not being able to sell their homes for what they'd like, a lot of people … are adding a little bit more and remodeling," Loyd says, noting kitchens and bathrooms appear to be at the top of everyone's remodeling list."Especially in a bathroom, you need actually two light sources, one from the top that would be recessed, and you need a wall-mounted fixture over a vanity or mirror so there are no shadows on eyes, noses and everything," he says.To get the right combination of lighting — be it LED or incandescent — Loyd recommends taking your blueprints with you when you visit a showroom."We try to come up with a certain wattage per square foot and if it's a highly used multi-task area, we try to do more task lighting," Loyd says.

Solar cell efficiency receives a transparent boost

Think about this during these dog days of summer: Researchers are working to capture the sun's rays more efficiently and turn them into electricity, using a see-through solar panel no thicker than a plastic grocery bag.Officials with Phillips 66 said Tuesday that their partnership with California startup Solarmer Energy and a Chinese university has yielded the most efficient polymer-based organic solar cell yet, a milestone that puts them closer to marketing the technology.Byron Johnson, manager of sustainability technologies at Houston-based Phillips 66, said the work reflects the company's commitment to renewable technologies, even though its core business remains rooted in the oil industry.
"Most of our work involves petrochemicals," he said. "That is our business. But we want to understand all energy sources and also participate in them."His division works with biofuels, along with other renewable energy sources, including solar.Vishal Shrotriya, a spokesman for Solarmer, said the partnership with Phillips 66 and South China University of Technology began two years ago, before Phillips 66 split from ConocoPhillips.Solarmer, based in El Monte, Calif., originally licensed the organic solar cell technology from the University of California at Los Angeles, Shrotriya said.Unlike conventional silicon solar panels, polymer-based organic solar cells are thin and flexible. They're also far less expensive to manufacture, Shrotriya said.
But they also are less efficient at converting sunlight to electricity.The partnership announced Tuesday that its technology had been certified by the Newport Technology & Application Center's Photovoltaic Lab in Long Beach, Calif., as achieving 9.31 percent efficiency - that is, the percent at which the technology converts photons, or sunlight, to electrons, or electricity.That's a record for power conversion efficiency for polymer-based photovoltaic cells, although Johnson said the technology will have to reach 12 percent to 15 percent efficiency to become commercially viable.Silicon solar panels typically operate at about 20 percent efficiency, Shrotriya said.He and Johnson said organic solar cells offer some advantages over silicon solar panels, despite being less efficient.They're cheaper, for one thing.Silicon panels typically cost three to five times as much to make, Johnson said.Johnson suggested they could be taken to remote locations, for camping or military use. Ultimately, he said, they may be used to power buildings, rolled across the windows like tinted film.

Philips Starts LED Professional Lighting Solutions Manufacturing Facility

Philips (China) Investment Co., Ltd held the groundbreaking ceremony this morning for its LED Professional Lighting Solutions manufacturing facility in Chengdu High-tech Industrial Development Zone, which marks that the bilateral cooperation between Philips and Chengdu has entered a new phase since the two sides signed the LED strategic cooperation agreement last December.
Philips will build a fully integrated LED Professional Lighting Solutions manufacturing site to optimize the allocation of resources including production, warehousing and logistics, etc. The site will help to control production efficiency and quality, increase greatly the responsiveness to clients and shorten the delivery time. It is noteworthy that Philips will focus on providing more customized products to meet unique requirements of different customers with great speed. It will also ensure that Philips, the world's leading lighting company, can specifically work with Chinese customers to help upgrade their lighting in all segments and applications. To this end, Philips will organize a professional service team to ensure everything is OK from designing upon a client's request to final product delivery.New Rechargeable LED Light Tower from Larson Electronics Provides High Power.It is expected that the site will start production in 2013.Chengdu, as Philips' second headquarters in China, is an important economic and culture center in the west region, with its unique advantages in developing high-tech industries and advanced manufacturing industry. Philips' strong innovation, application and customization capabilities in LED lighting will serve Chinese customers faster and better.
First established in 1988, the Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone ranks 4th among China's 88 state-level hi-tech zones and is strongly supported by national provincial and municipal authorities. With a planned area of 130 sq km, CDHT is divided into the south and the west park. There are 29,163 companies registered in the Hi-Tech Zone, among which nearly 1000 companies are foreign invested enterprises, including over 100 Fortune 500 companies and those invested by well-known international corporations. To a certain degree, a large trend of Fortune Global 500's moving forward to western China allows Chengdu to host the 2013 Fortune Global Forum. CDHT is fully prepared for further collaboration with more globally well-known enterprises. The vast potential and the unprecedented expansion of western China's market as well as China's new round of "Go West" strategy will definitely speed up the development of the entire area.

LED Light Tower from Larson Electronics Provides High Output and Secure Setup

Larson Electronics Magnalight.com has introduced a telescoping LED light boom that provides operators with the ability to illuminate large areas with 60,000 lumens of high quality white light both safely and efficiently. Ideal for outdoor events, large work sites, mining operations, and a wide variety of industrial applications, these LED towers utilize a three stage tower design that can be easily raised and lowered by a single person. These towers can be elevated to 25 feet in height for optimum coverage and are ruggedly designed and constructed to provide safe operation even in demanding conditions.
Magnalights' LM-25-3S-4X150W-LED telescoping light tower is designed to provide operators with a quickly deployed lighting solution that offers high power and secure setup in an easy to manage tower lighting package. This telescoping steel light tower deploys 600 watts of high intensity LED lighting that produces 59,160 lumens capable of illuminating over 3 acres of area. This tower includes four, 150 watt LED lamps fitted to a heavy duty mounting assembly that allows each weatherproof lamp housing to be adjusted independently of the next for maximum coverage of large areas. Each fixture produces 14,790 lumens of high intensity light in a standard 25 degree spotlight configuration that is ideal for producing a wide yet far reaching light beam. These lamps are also available with a 60 degree floodlight beam configuration, making flood versions ideal for use as work area and large event lights. These LED work lights are rated IP68 waterproof to 3 meters of submersion, making them impervious to the effects of heavy driving rain and high humidity.
The telescoping tower is constructed of three square steel tubing sections 10 feet, 8 feet and 7 feet in length, and extends to 25 feet for full lighting deployment. The entire tower collapses to 10 feet and can then be folded over for transport and storage. The tower can be elevated from the folded position using an included 1,000 lb hand winch, and is then extended to its full height using a second included 1,000 lbs winch. Magnalight.com also offers the option to outfit these light towers with electric winches for even easier setup and take down. This tower incorporates a rotating mounting base platform which allows operators to rotate the entire tower for easy aiming of the light assembly once deployed in the desired location. The most common mounting scheme for these light towers involves bolting them to trailers, which allows operators to provide a stable yet highly mobile platform than can be easily transported.  These towers can handle 125 mph winds when extended to 10 feet in height and provide a strong and secure lighting deployment system that can withstand use in demanding industrial or commercial environments and applications. Magnalight also offers the ability to outfit these towers with a wide variety of lamp options including 1,000 and 1,500 watt metal halide lamps, larger LED fixtures, and even infrared LED light bars.  

New Rechargeable LED Light Tower from Larson Electronics Provides High Power

The WAL-18LED-BP portable and rechargeable LED light tower from our website provides the high output of LEDs and the portability of rechargeable battery powered operation in a compact and easily deployed system. Designed for reliability and portability, this LED tower light can provide 14 hours of illumination in any location on a single charge and is ideal for construction, emergency services, utilities workers and any where powerful and easily set up lighting is needed in a hurry.
The LED light tower is a powerful yet fully portable lighting system that allows operators to quickly and easily provide effective illumination wherever it is needed regardless of conditions or the availability of local power sources. Fully collapsible, the entire light, battery and tower assembly can be retracted and closed into a Pelican style carry case that weighs only 48 pounds, making it an ideal lighting solution for flaggers on construction projects or emergency scene responders who need a light that can be easily stowed behind seats in pickup trucks or vehicles, yet easily setup wherever needed.Led Light Bulbs The Future Of Lighting.This portable and rechargeable light tower  is fitted with a telescoping mast that can be extended to 8 feet in height for excellent coverage of larger areas. Two 9 watt LED light heads provide over 1300 lumens of bright white light, and with their efficient operation can run for 14 hours at full power on a single charge of the onboard sealed AGM lead acid battery.
Operators can also choose to run a single LED light head to conserve power and run the unit for up to 29 hours instead. This unit is weatherproof and able to withstand 60 mph winds once fully deployed and includes foldable outriggers for excellent stability. Recharging options include charging from vehicles or wall outlets, and operators can also use an included DC plug to operate this tower as a portable power supply and power other devices from the integral 12 VDC battery. This system can operate in temperatures of -40 F/C to + 185F / 85C, and is FAA, DOT, CAB, IA, and TA approved for air transport. Users can also choose from optional lamp assemblies including more powerful LED light bars, colored LED light bars, and infrared output LEDs for applications where night vision devices and equipment is used. These portable towers are ideal for use in road construction applications, utilities services, military and law enforcement operations, and emergency services.

Led Light Bulbs The Future Of Lighting

The positives effects of LED light bulbs have opened up a new window for cost-efficient and power saving lighting. Research from the United States Department of Energy has found that at least 971 million pieces of 60-watt incandescent light bulbs are being used in the U.S. today. The United States government has set new laws for homes and businesses to use more energy efficient light bulbs to save power. Companies and producers are now making represents for incandescent bulbs that will be pulled out of the market in the coming years. Most hardware stores have already placed LED light bulbs on their shelves, however, consumers have complained about the LED bulbs due to their price. As usual bulb would cost you about $40.
Another alternative thats in the market besides the LED light bulbs are CLFs. These lightings have gotten a lot of attention due to their long life span compared to incandescent bulbs and its cheaper price, compared to LED light bulbs. However, these bulbs have some significant drawbacks. One of its major disadvantages is that CLFs contain mercury. This means that these bulbs are unsafe to throw in regular trash bins and needs a lot of thoughtful cleanup if the bulbs break. Some of these bulbs take time to fully light up even if they are labeled instant on. They may cost more then incandescent light bulbs but CLFs are cheaper then LED bulbs.
Because of these reasons, most lighting experts who are with the government and even lighting technology experts are say that LED light bulbs are replacement for the soon-to-be-phased-out incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs do not contain mercury, turn on instantly, and has features like 60-watt-LED light bulb replacements can typically be dimmed. An LED light bulb is designed to give the same amount of light as an incandescent light would give. These LED light bulbs are more power efficient and can last longer than CLF bulbs.Due to these reasons, LED light bulbs should become more efficient and more used in the coming years. The United States Dept of Energy sets a goal in getting a 60-watt-LED light bulb use only 10 watts to light it up. Some people in the lighting and electronics industry believe that by using LED light bulbs, energy use can go down to its lowest level. The LED light bulbs has actually been used for some years now, however, they were never really used as major light fixtures.

Lunds Installs Efficient Sol Inc. Exterior Lighting

Sol Inc., a leading global provider of solar and grid powered LED outdoor lighting solutions, recently provided Lund Food Holdings, Inc. with 12 high-intensity grid tied 20/20 LED light systems combined with a solar powered 20/20 system at the new Lunds supermarket located at 12th St. and Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Lund Food Holdings, Inc. operates 11 Lunds and 11 Byerly's upscale supermarkets in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area and is one of the premiere food retailers in the Twin Cities."Providing a reliable lighting source that can illuminate our parking lot better and requires less maintenance and energy costs will enrich our customers' shopping experience," said Brian Kopp, general manager of Lunds Hennepin Avenue. "The fixtures' streamlined look and ability to limit light to the surface of our lot allow them to blend into the environment and create minimal distraction to our residential neighbors."
"We were looking at every opportunity to incorporate sustainable technology as part of an effort to reduce the store's environmental impact while reducing energy use, and using Sol Inc.'s 20/20 LED lighting helped us accomplish both," said Mike Edgett, senior project manager for Lund Food Holdings, Inc. "Using Sol Inc. lighting was just a part of our commitment to identify and implement many green building solutions on this project.LED Lighting Company Solid Apollo Launches a New and Improved LED Lighting Reseller.Sol Inc.'s unique ability to combine solar with high-efficiency grid powered LED lighting was a big plus for us. We are in the process of applying for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification, and the installation of the energy-efficient LED lights will help us attain the credits required for this certification."
Tony Loftsgaarden, Vice President of Master Electric, who worked on this installation, was impressed by the quality of the LED lights. Loftsgaarden partnered with Lunds and Sol Inc. in incorporating the 20/20 solar powered system that illuminates the entrance to the parking lot. "Installing the solar light was easy because it arrived preprogrammed and all we had to do was place it in the base, connect the plugs and the lights came on," said Loftsgaarden. "It's great to know that these lights are saving energy and not polluting the environment." Loftsgaarden's team also retrofitted existing bases with the new Sol lights and poles. "They are nice looking low-profile lights that really brighten up the parking lot, and my team received numerous compliments from residents across the street because the great optics prevent the light from invading their space," said Loftsgaarden.

Cree Raises Industry Standard with New 170 Lumen-Per-Watt Prototype LED Light Bulb

Less than one year after showcasing the 152 lumens-per-watt concept LED bulb, Cree, Inc. delivers a new performance benchmark with the 170 lumens-per-watt (LPW) prototype LED light bulb. The innovations behind the high-performance 170 LPW LED bulb are enabling significantly higher efficacy and lower cost for Cree's luminaire portfolio and demonstrate Cree's continued commitment to accelerate the adoption of LED lighting by addressing initial cost and payback - key barriers to widespread LED lighting adoption.LED lighting at this level of performance is only made possible by advancements across all elements of the LED lighting system - lighting-class LEDs, optics, drivers and thermal management. LEDs based on Cree's innovative SC(3) Technology Platform enable this industry-leading R&D lighting result. The SC(3) Technology Platform is built upon Cree's advanced silicon carbide technology and features advancements in the LED chip architecture and phosphor.
 "Optimizing each LED design element was critical in achieving the performance reached by Cree's new prototype LED bulb," said Nick Medendorp, vice president of research and development, Cree lighting. "The technology embodied in the new 170 LPW concept LED bulb is enabling us to develop higher-performance and lower-cost Cree LED luminaires. By pushing the limits of what is possible, Cree continues to strive to develop new technology that uses less energy and provides unmatched light quality and value to our customers."Third party testing by independent lab OnSpeX confirmed that Cree's new 170 lumen-per-watt prototype LED bulb delivered more than 1250 lumens and consumes only 7.3 watts. The bulb uses Cree(R) TrueWhite(R) Technology to deliver a CRI of 90+. As an efficiency comparison, a traditional 75-Watt incandescent light bulb produces 1100 lumens, which is only 14.6 lumens per watt.
  Cree is leading the LED lighting revolution and making energy-wasting traditional lighting technologies obsolete through the use of energy-efficient, mercury-free LED lighting. Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting, and semiconductor products for power and radio-frequency (RF) applications.Cree's product families include LED fixtures and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and RF devices. Cree products are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, electronic signs and signals, power supplies and solar inverters.