solar frontier
solar frontier achieves world record thin - film solar cell efficiency of 22. 9 %
cis - based thin - film pv technology in solar frontier k. k .
solar frontier sets thin - film pv world record with 20. 9% cis cell
cis - based thin - film pv technology in solar frontier k. k. - sciencedirect
solar frontier first announced its decision to build the tohoku plant in december, 2013. after completing its construction in april 2015, solar frontier began ramping up the newly installed production lines. the tohoku plant now manufactures cis solar panels
fig. 5: the
banwell solar project ,
a 7. 2mw project in banwell in the uk (source: solar frontier )
solar frontier is the world’s largest provider of cis solar energy solutions. our expertise covers the entire solar energy value chain, from pioneering next - generation cis modules through to independent power production .
82. 5 mw installation from solar frontier at catalina, u. s. , wins intersolar award
solar frontier’s newest cis solar panel factory features its most advanced production technology. compared to solar frontier’s main production plant in southern japan, the 900mw kunitomi plant, the tohoku plant requires only two - thirds the investment and manpower per megawatt. it also requires only one - third the time to manufacture a cis solar panel. this technology enables solar frontier to achieve globally best - in - class production costs
in 2014, solar frontier and new jointly developed a 7. 2mw mega solar power plant incorporating cis - based solar panels in banwell in the southeast of the uk (fig. 5). according to solar frontier, the result was highly valued and led to the joint development of 100mw facilities .
“solar frontier’s prototype modules show the far - reaching potential of our cis technology. these modules are ultralight ,
in the european market, solar frontier works out sales strategies responding to the renewable energy policy of each country .
solar frontier’s cis modules generate more electricity * in real - world conditions – where it counts for the customer .
- solar frontier, the world’s largest provider of cis solar energy solutions, announced today it has commenced commercial production at its 150mw tohoku plant in miyagi prefecture, japan .
– solar frontier and psa singapore terminals have completed the first ever installation of solar frontier’s prototype ultralight and bendable cis thin - film modules. the new modules, designed and engineered in japan, were installed at psa’s newest terminal building in singapore
solar frontier’s cis technology maintains high output even when installed in east - west orientation, as well as horizontally or vertically .
the tohoku plant is a cornerstone in solar frontier’s global growth strategy. the new plant features upgrades to solar frontier’s existing cis production lines using advanced technology developed at its atsugi research center. these will enable best - in - class production costs and new product advantages. the tohoku plant also serves as a model for solar frontier’s future production plants as the company looks to expand its global production footprint. solar frontier will use the ramp - up phase to test and verify its latest cis line technology
the start of commercial production at the tohoku plant marks the continued successful cooperation between solar frontier, ohira village and miyagi prefecture .
the tohoku plant’s new production line is based on the proven production process at solar frontier’s 900 mw kunitomi plant in southern japan. the tohoku plant will enhance solar frontier’s leadership in cis as well as help further adoption of thin - film technology around the world .
in addition to making the most economical solar energy solutions, our mission is to also make the most ecological ones. solar frontier’s cis modules have been designed to meet environmental standards and requirements .
meanwhile, the uk has introduced the rps system, and, in the same manner as the us, construction plans of mega solar power plants are based on bot. based on this background, solar frontier europe signed contracts for development and sale of solar power plants with a total output of up to 100mw in the uk, in collaboration with german renewable energy developer new energy for the world (new). the solar power plants will incorporate panels manufactured by solar frontier .
this archived blog was the active site for getting updated hubble frontier fields information during the frontier fields observing campaign (2013 - 2017). the observations are now in from hubble, but the science of the frontier fields is just beginning…
cis is different. solar frontier has worked with leading solar panel technologies since the 1970s, including crystalline silicon. we realized in the early 1990s the unique potential of cis - and we’ve pursued it ever since .
the cis technology offered by solar frontier delivers higher specific energy yields (kwh / kwp) than other technologies. the main reasons for this are :
“solar frontier’s new 20. 9% efficiency record resulted from a cis cell cut from a 30cm by 30cm substrate produced using a sputtering - selenization formation method - the same method we use in our factories. the significance is twofold: it ensures we can transfer our latest achievement into mass production faster, and it proves the long - term conversion efficiency potential of solar frontier’s proprietary cis technology, ” said satoru kuriyagawa, chief technology officer of solar frontier. “solar frontier has entered into the next phase in the development of cis technology, and we look forward to building on this achievement and driving our efficiency even higher. ”
electricity costs are increasing worldwide. from office complexes and factories to farm buildings, harbor facilities and airport terminals, solar frontier is offering businesses an energy alternative :
solar energy has remained primarily a terrestrial endeavor because, in most cases, it is simpler and cheaper to mount photovoltaic (solar) panels on land .
anti - reflective some pv modules have a glass surface that strongly reflects sunlight. solar frontier modules use patented anti - glare glass - for aesthetics, safety and efficiency .
solar frontier is now approaching four gigawatts of cis modules and system shipments. these are used for a variety of applications, from residential to utility - scale, across multiple climates .
in the solar panel industry, cis is known for its economical, ecological advantages .
helming said transforming the aqueduct into a solar - energy producer is entirely feasible today .
hero image credit: ibm solar panels by ibm research, used under cc by .
solar frontier, the world’s largest cis solar energy solutions company, announced today that it has completed the construction of its fourth production plant, the tohoku plant. the new 150 mw production plant, located in miyagi, japan, now moves into the ramp - up phase .
solar panel installations have primarily been installed on land. now two california water utilities are building floating solar - power projects at their reservoirs to reap energy savings and other benefits .
dan coe, esa / aura astronomer, in front of the first frontier fields image, abell 2744 .
solar frontier europe, a subsidiary based in germany, focuses on these markets and has been selling the
power set ,
a system consisting of solar panels, storage batteries, a monitor and a pv inverter that controls them, for use mainly in houses. the output of solar panels and the capacity of storage batteries can be selected from 10 patterns of combinations .
solar frontier’s unique cis technology uses zero cadmium, is lead - free and has no special recycling requirements. we are certified as compliant with the eu’s restriction of hazardous substances regulations (rohs) .
click here to get the solar irradiation data for your region in europe – for free .
jennifer mack, a hubble research and instrument scientist, answers questions about her role on the frontier fields project .
since the solar frontier cis modules are more sensitive than other technologies to this light at longer wavelengths, and even into the infrared range, the relative quantity of energy recovered at these times is significantly higher .
appearance solar frontier cis modules have a black module surface and a black aluminum frame *. the color comes from our proprietary production process. only two silver busbars are visible on the edge of the module .
water can also enhance solar generation. ironically, too much heat reduces a solar panel’s energy output. every panel is rated for certain temperature limits, above which energy output plummets. but a watery surface will always be cooler than the bare ground on which most solar arrays are built .
ibm is promoting the use of solar energy by creating a groundbreaking mobile application that drives universal electrification in africa. this user - friendly app calculates the solar power needs of an individual home or business based on its location and the appliances used to recommend a solar system set - up .
astronomer rachael livermore answers questions about her role on the frontier fields program and the path she took to get there .
that occur as light from distant galaxies becomes magnified and bent by the vast mass of the frontier fields’ galactic clusters .
astronomer gabriel brammer answers questions about his role on the frontier fields program and the path he took to get there .
the simple, user - friendly app calculates the solar power needs of an individual home or business based on its location, the number of appliances that run on solar and how many hours they run for. the app' s algorithm draws on detailed solar radiation data for locations across south africa to recommend a solar system set - up based on the worst - case month of the year .
some are saying that thin - film solar panels are finished. others are convinced that their time is ahead: even though crystalline solar panels are dominating the panel market by 90 percent, suppliers of cis panels continue bringing interesting innovations to the market. the world’s largest manufacturer is solar frontier in japan, who are this year is extending their range of thin - film packages in terms of roof shape and size .
in its pursuit of a world where solar energy enables a cleaner, more comfortable life for all .
while the market for small roof - top installations is dominant in these parts, elsewhere, greenfield solar parks are booming. first solar in the us is the leader in terms of cost. they produce and install thin - film panels made from cadmium telluride. with their cis panels, solar frontier is also successful in this segment, because the process of depositing the absorbers to the metallic rear electrode can be fully automated .
frame the black frame of the solar frontier modules is an integrated functional and design element. it is made of long - life anti - corrosion aluminum which is screwed at the corners. this guarantees long life reliability and aesthetics .
ideal installations usually face south at a tilt angle of 30 degrees and below. but not every rooftop meets these conditions. the low - light behavior of solar frontier’s cis modules enables high electricity yield even on rooftops with east / west orientation and whether installed vertically or horizontally. this is not the case for crystalline silicon solar panels .
now a few water agencies are embracing floating solar to maximize the utility of their storage ponds and reservoirs. floating solar panels can provide energy that offsets operating costs and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. and there are other benefits: floating solar panels throw shade on the water surface, which can reduce evaporation and algae growth .
the stsci frontier fields team receives the 2016 aura team award for its unparalleled efforts in implementing the hubble frontier fields director' s discretionary program and providing rapid [ astronomical ] community access to high - level data products generated from the observations .
- aura
solar frontier’s powersets are suitable for domestic roof - top installations of more than 15. 6 square metres in surface area. because they are variously configurable, they can be installed on top if very different roofs and at very different inclinations .
solar frontier has developed this cell using the same coating process followed by selenisation which they are using in mass production. this allows them to disseminate all of their recent advances into all future sites of production. for example: some of the technology that was employed to develop what was in april 2014 solar frontier’s record holder at 20. 9 percent, is already being implemented at the tohoku factory. the panels produced there now are 14. 7 percent efficient. (heiko schwarzburger )
that is not an option solar installers would currently recommend, kurien says, simply because it is not worth their time. “if you want to find out what your options are for your house, solar installers are going to try to steer you towards going off the grid, or running your entire household off solar, ” he says .
tricia royle, senior program coordinator, answers questions about her role on the frontier fields program and the path she took to get there .
sonoma county water agency’s oceanview water treatment pond was the test bed for this floating solar panel array last year. a final installation is expected to be complete by the end of 2017, with an output of 1 megawatt of solar electricity .
a ground - breaking app is driving the leap to universal electrification in africa. and better yet – it’s all solar .
large - scale floating solar projects have been installed in japan and china, as well as on ponds at california wineries. but
a decisive factor was the reliability of cis panels in an ammonia - rich environment: thyssen krupp materials’ 2, 970 square metre storage depot in veghel is close to the breeding grounds of sea gulls, bird droppings are a problem for owners of the solar installations, as it affects the performance of the panels. solar frontier’s cis panels are certified ammonia - resistant and perform well even in such an environment .
nippon yusen kaisha ooi terminal, japan
solar frontier’s cis modules were the ideal solution for our needs. they offer excellent efficiency, stable output and outstanding durability. we intend to install these panels in our facilities in other areas .
tetsuya muraki green energy group nyk trading corp
coober pedy airport terminal australia
the area around coober pedy is hot, dry and dusty. in conditions like these, cis thin - film panels are the perfect solution for dependable and economical solar energy .
theo strecker project engineer solar shop australia pty ltd
for the commercial segment, solar frontier offer larger - scale installation blocks as standard packages, which can be combined to fit roofs of any size. for instance, thyssen krupp materials in the netherlands had a total of 2. 3 megawatts installed on the roofs of their storage depots .
the prototype modules were developed at solar frontier’s atsugi research center in japan. the atsugi research center has been at the forefront of advancing cis thin - film technology, driving forward cis conversion efficiency in research and mass - production, and creating advanced products with the potential to unlock new markets .
snail trails are a phenomenon that can only exist on crystalline silicon modules. there are three different types of snail trail: discoloration of the silver - (ag) paste at right angles across the c - si cell, discoloration along the edge of the cell (formation of a
frame
), and discolorations emanating from the cell connections (also called
fingerprints
). due to the chemical composition of solar frontier cis modules and the technological differences between these and c - si modules, it can be guaranteed that snail trails will not occur on solar frontier modules .
conversion efficiency is a popular measurement used to compare the performance of solar modules. actual performance after installation, however, depends on how differing pv technologies react to their surrounding environment and climate. solar frontier’s cis modules are proven to generate more electricity (kwh / kwp) in real operating conditions than crystalline silicon modules. together with high automation and precision manufacturing in japan, cis modules provide long - term competitive and reliable returns on investments for customers .
wearing an astronomically themed dress of her own creation, rachael poses in front of a large picture of abell 370, the first strongly lensing galaxy cluster discovered. it was the last of the frontier fields galaxy clusters to be imaged. her dress is actually made up of the frontier fields, and the top front piece is abell 370 .
the team plans five more floating solar projects on other treatment ponds. in total, they’ll produce enough electricity to power 3, 500 homes .
so read this, too: “ first solar new 365 w series 5 modules: significant further variable bos cost reduction through easier installation ” .
this occasional series focuses on members of the frontier fields team. it highlights the individuals, their jobs, and the paths they took to get to where they are today .
that is beginning to change. the floats and other mounting components unique to water - based solar are slightly more expensive, but that difference will evaporate as more projects are built. and as solar has proliferated in some areas, it has become harder to find available land for new installations .
, a san francisco firm, to develop a floating solar panel system for several of its treatment ponds. pristine had not built a floating solar system before. but after some research and testing, the first system was installed as a pilot project at the oceanview treatment pond in summer 2016 .
dirt is another enemy of solar panels. wind - blown dust inevitably collects on panels, preventing some of the sun’s energy from reaching photovoltaic cells. this can reduce energy output by 20 percent or more. most ground - mounted solar arrays get cleaned only two or three times a year .
tokyo － april 2 nd, 2014 － solar frontier, in joint research with the new energy and industrial technology development organization (nedo), has achieved 20. 9% conversion efficiency on a 0. 5cm2 cis cell. this is a world record conversion efficiency for thin - film photovoltaic technologies, beating solar frontier’s previous world record of 19. 7% conversion efficiency for cis thin - film cells that do not contain cadmium, on top of the previous - best 20. 8% cell efficiency record set for all thin - film pv technologies. the result has been independently verified by the fraunhofer institute, europe’s largest application - oriented research organization .
that will make it hard for manufacturers of crystalline cells and panels to grow as fast as the thin - film segment. satoru kuriyagawa, chief technology officer at solar frontier, held out the prospect that “this most recent success will bring us ever closer to our long - term goal of exceeding 30 percent with cis panels. ”
but these are simple “engineering challenges, ” helming said. in many cases, floating solar offers more advantages than drawbacks. one advantage is reducing algae that
so here’s an interesting thought experiment. what if we could take a well - known galaxy and put it behind one of our frontier fields galaxy clusters? what would that look like ?
“in expanding our product range to include domestic roof - top installations, we are reacting to the strong demand in the market and are giving our installation companies more variety and freedom of choice, ” wolfgang lange, ceo of solar frontier europe comments. “this provides our customers with even more individual solutions for their roofs. and they’re easy to install .
the study found that mounting solar panels on just a single 80 - mile stretch of canal serving the bay area would avoid water losses worth $ 1 million annually .
“there would be a whole bunch of companies that would jump at the chance to cover the aqueduct with solar at no cost to the state, ” he said .
many africans, whether living in the countryside or in the slums of fast - developing cities, could benefit from small solar, be that simple solar lamps that include a mobile phone charger or higher wattage set - ups. and these kinds of solutions are increasingly available off - the - shelf, complete with micro - financing options .
i helped jennifer lotz select the six frontier fields clusters —with a lot of input from other astronomers. i had hoped my babies would do well! so far they have, and i am proud .
i am happy to have helped make the frontier fields observations as deep and as efficient as possible to maximize the scientific return from extremely valuable observing time on hubble. with only a relatively minor change to the observing strategy, taking extra care to avoid extra glare from bright foreground light from the earth, we enabled the frontier fields to see ever fainter and more distant galaxies than otherwise would have been possible .
some of the recipients of the 2016 aura team award. the team received the award in july 2016 for the hubble frontier fields program, which began in 2013. credit: p. jeffries / stsci .
there are some big fish to catch in the floating solar business. one of the biggest of all is the california aqueduct, owned by the state department of water resources (
the san diego agency signed a contract with pristine sun to install a 6 - megawatt solar array floating on its olivenhain reservoir that will cover about 10 percent of the water surface .
’s analysis may not have considered the prospect of floating solar panels, which pose a much less intensive installation process. they could also be easier to move temporarily to allow inspections .
in germany, in particular, an increasing number of houses are introducing self - sufficient systems where batteries are installed in basements for storage of solar power ,
gakumazawa said .
i am proud to be contributing a small part to hubble’s great legacy. in addition to my frontier fields work, i am leading a large new hubble program called relics to observe 41 more lensing galaxy clusters. complementary to the frontier fields, relics is casting a broader net with shallower imaging. our goal is to find the best and brightest distant galaxy candidates for more detailed study with current telescopes and with the james webb space telescope .
it should be noted that the nasa frontier fields program is bigger than just the core hubble frontier fields program at stsci. there are also teams of people working with nasa’s other great observatories, the chandra x - ray observatory and the spitzer space telescope, to acquire images of these fields in invisible x - ray and infrared light. there are teams of astronomers proposing for follow - up observations of the frontier fields using many ground - based observatories in radio, millimeter, infrared, and visible light. in addition, there are the astronomers and mathematical modelers who are taking this publicly available data and using it to broaden our understanding of the physics of the cosmos .
solar frontier cis modules have been developed to provide the best possible outputs, that is to say the highest yields measured as kwh per kwp, under these less than perfect conditions as well. the result is optimum energy generation under all light conditions, including those that are not ideal. you can find more information and real comparative yield data in the area entitled cis vs. other technologies on our homepage .
workers assemble a floating solar panel array last year in a pilot project at sonoma county water agency’s oceanview water treatment pond in windsor, calif. (photo courtesy sonoma county water agency )
rodgers’ agency first sought bids for a floating solar project five years ago and got no “viable results, ” she said. it tried again about 18 months ago and received several proposals .
solar frontier’s latest efficiency record was achieved at the atsugi research center (arc) in kanagawa, japan. as part of the arc’s customer - centric approach, it focuses on boosting the conversion efficiency of its cis modules, developing its proprietary mass production machinery, and reducing overall system costs for end users. the arc has been at the forefront of advancing cis technology, setting numerous world records since it was established in 2009 .
gabe checks out the telescope for observations of the june 21, 2001, total solar eclipse from lusaka, zambia, as part of the williams college eclipse expedition. credit: j. pasachoff .
edeka parking rooftop, germany
solar frontier’s cis thin - film modules have convinced me for a number of reasons: their high performance and efficiency as well as being ecological, free of cadmium and lead. the installation is the perfect example of how we can use parking lot roof space to generate ecological energy. we are very proud to have been nominated for the environment award of the city of schwabach .
roland krawczyk tenant edeka supermarket
in july 2016, the hubble frontier fields team was given the aura team award. aura – the association of universities for research in astronomy – operates the space telescope science institute (stsci – the science operations center for hubble) for nasa .
left: frontier fields hubble image of pandora’s cluster, abell 2744. right: lensing magnifications (color) and distortions (swirls) of distant galaxies according to one model produced by johan richard and the “cats” (clusters as telescopes) team .
solar power, often seen as an expensive luxury in the west, can bridge a vital gap. just as sub - saharan africa leapt straight from a landscape with barely a telephone wire to a region replete with mobiles, smartphones and even mobile currency, swaths of the continent may sidestep the grid and move straight to solar: clean, green and – thanks to africa' s climate – reliable energy .
today, astronomy is increasingly relying on larger projects that require teams of men and women with diverse skill sets, including the hubble frontier fields program. frontier fields was conceived following the successes of prior hubble deep - field programs. these include the hubble deep field, hubble ultra deep field, candels, and in particular, clash – which helped build our understanding of gravitational lensing around galaxy clusters. the general frontier fields program also both benefited from, and enhanced, our understanding of mathematical models that predict how light from distant galaxies will be lensed by foreground massive clusters. of course, all of the deep - field studies are possible because of the work of prior luminaries such as edwin hubble, henrietta leavitt, and albert einstein .
in california alone, using a very conservative estimate of available inland water surface area, helming estimates floating solar could produce 20 gigawatts of electricity. that’s more than 10 percent of the state’s total energy need .
the frontier fields images, while beautiful, aren’t all that easy to comprehend to eyes outside the astronomy community. look at them and you see streaks of light and blurry smudges mixed into a field of obvious galaxies. it can be difficult to interpret the
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used by water utilities have long been viewed with a single purpose: holding water. now a handful of pioneering water utilities are looking at their aquatic real estate with a new purpose in mind: solar energy generation .
south africa' s grid is currently under pressure, with a system of rolling blackouts in place. so many small businesses have been exploring how to keep running during the hours when the city goes dark. “a lot have bought generators and some have used solar, ” kurien says. “i thought an app that enabled people to explore how solar works, without having to sit with an expensive consultant, could be an answer. ”
our cis solutions generate more electricity (kilowatt - hours per kilowatt - peak) than crystalline silicon in actual operating conditions. this is key to cost - competitive and reliable returns on investment in the solar energy market .
traditional home solar installers and installation apps require a level of technical detail that the average householder simply does not know. the new app strips out that complexity. “it tells your average joe who might not have any technical background or idea what a kilowatt - hour is, and just knows' i have two lightbulbs in my house and a fridge and a tv', just how much solar power he might need, ” says algio .
the olivenhain project may include battery storage, rodgers said. this would allow the water authority to maximize revenue by selling electricity during evening and late - afternoon hours, when solar output drops off but energy demand is peaking .
“africa has the potential to leapfrog straight into clean and reliable energy sources like solar, ” algio says. “because the lessons have been learnt in the developing world, africa has the opportunity to bypass the intervening stages. ”
solar start - up m - kopa makes an 8 - watt solar panel that comes with two lightbulbs, a torch, a mobile phone charger and a radio. currently available in kenya, tanzania, uganda and ghana, customers pay an initial deposit of $ 30 followed by 365 daily 50 - cent payments, using mobile phone currency: if they miss a payment, the system powers off until the debt is up - to - date .
for the frontier fields, five groups of astronomers from around the world collaborated to gather the best possible data on all six clusters and produce gravitational lensing models. i coordinated these efforts and processed their model submissions for all astronomers to use. this lens modeling work is unprecedented both for its collaborative nature and the accessibility that all astronomers now have to the magnification estimates. with deep frontier fields imaging now in hand, astronomers are able to study the lensing in much more detail and are producing the best dark matter maps and lensing models ever .
covering portions of the canal with solar panels. it concluded this wasn’t feasible because of the need for frequent visual inspections of the canal and the water surface itself. it also cited challenges in attaching panels to the canal banks .
solar panels are affected by heat. some technologies are better at handling it than others. cis delivers high yields – even in desert environments. this is indicated by the lower temperature coefficient of cis compared to crystalline silicon modules .
the introduction of the new plant comes as solar frontier works to bring its cis technology to more customers around the world. compared to crystalline silicon modules, cis modules generate a higher energy yield (kilowatt - hours per kilowatt - peak) in real world conditions. the tohoku plant will build on the performance advantages of cis with new product upgrades. this includes module conversion efficiencies of over 15% and adjustments to the voltage and current of its cis thin - film modules, enabling more freedom in system design .
but in the real world, this very rarely happens. roofs have different orientations. temperatures climb to extremes – especially in deserts. trees, chimneys, buildings and even clouds cast shadows. humidity, lighting conditions and a myriad of other climatic conditions fluctuate between environments. every one of these factors can impact the energy yield of a solar power system. solar panels, based on their technology, will react differently to real - world conditions – some better than others .
one drawback to such installations is that the floating solar panels and their anchoring systems must not interfere with water system operations. that means preserving access to drains and other plumbing. in some cases, panels may need to be easily removable .
the project which is situated in the towns of veghel and zwijndrecht comprises two roof - top installations on top of storage depots. including a total of 30 inverters and 13, 472 cis panels, it is one of the largest solar projects in the netherlands. the panels were delivered starting may 2015 and installed in june of that year. the generators were already connected to the grid in july. between july and november, the installations produced six percent more solar electricity than expected .
and a new app undergoing testing in ibm research' s johannesburg lab could bring the benefits of small solar to residential users, both rural and urban, including people who are already connected to sub - saharan africa' s often unreliable grids .
will install floating solar panel arrays later this year. the panels will float on its oceanview treated wastewater pond in windsor, where shade from the panels will reduce the cost of algae control, and the electricity produced will help power the treatment process .
), which exports vast amounts of water from north to south. the aqueduct offers more than 400 miles of canal surface area that could be covered with solar panels in a region of the state – the san joaquin valley – that is relentlessly sunny .
even classmates in my kids’ pre - kindergarten classes know hubble when they see it! hubble has something for everybody, from atmospheres of extra - solar planets to the most distant galaxies, and therefore has had an immeasurable impact on society’s scientific imagination and curiosity .
the buffer layer in the cis module by solar frontier is responsible for the light soaking effect. this layer is a component of the cis thin film and ensures that the charge is transported more easily between the photoactive layer and the transparent contact (tco) on the front of the module. initially, this buffer layer forms an energy barrier, which makes the flow of electrons more difficult. excited by the photons in the sunlight, the first electrons begin moving and neutralize the faulty areas which at first still remain in the boundary areas between the layers. this causes the energy barrier to shrink, electrons can flow more easily, and the serial resistance is lowered. consequently the flow of energy increases and the module functions more efficiently. unlike classic cis, one of the remarkable features of the solar frontier technology is that toxic cadmium is replaced with zinc. not only is this less harmful to the environment, it is also essential for creating the light soaking effect. as a result, the properties of the buffer layer are improved and the module output increases. this effect is the result of years of intensive work by our research and development department .
“psa is pleased to be involved in a project that underlines our commitment to green energy technologies. alongside our electrically powered automated rail mounted gantry cranes at our new terminals, these solar modules will also help to reduce psa’s carbon footprint as we continue to promote environmental sustainability
in germany, spain and italy, which introduced the feed - in tariff (fit) scheme earlier than other countries and led the solar power generation market in europe, introduction of compact equipment for self - consumption has been accelerating following the decline in purchase price .
responding to the increasing needs for self - consumption systems intended for small offices, this spring, the company commercialized
power set industrial .
solar panel output is limited to two patterns of units – 21kw and 33kw – to enhance the cost performance of systems .
the agency had already built solar arrays on rooftops and parking lots, said then - general manager grant davis. (davis was recently appointed director of the california department of water resources .) the next choice was ranch land, but that posed a conflict with livestock grazing operations .
cuinse 2 (cis) - based thin - film photovoltaic (pv) technology is recognized as a second - generation thin - film pv technology and its module efficiency has currently reached a level comparable to that of the market - dominant wafer - based polycrystalline - si pv technology. solar frontier k. k. (sfkk) employs not only non - si pv, but also cd - free and pb - free concepts in its products. based on this concept, sfkk has already moved to the giga - watt production stage in 2011. in this paper, current status and future prospects of sfkk are reviewed .
the app not only empowers lighter electricity consumers to go off - the - grid for a fraction of the cost and complexity of a full solar install by professional installers. it enables wealthier users to move off - grid piece by piece, greening their homes one appliance at a time .
in 2015 found that covering the aqueduct with solar panels would more than pay for itself. it could also prevent over 9, 000 acre - feet of water evaporation per day. on an annual basis, that’s equal to the entire capacity of lake oroville, the state’s second - largest reservoir .
the james webb space telescope is a large infrared telescope with a 6. 5 - meter primary mirror. scheduled for launch in october of 2018, webb will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. it will study every phase in the history of our universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the big bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like earth, to the evolution of our own solar system. this illustration shows the cold side of the james webb space telescope, where the mirrors and instruments are positioned. credit: northrop grumman .
frontier fields draws on the power of massive clusters of galaxies to unleash the full potential of the hubble space telescope. the gravity of these clusters warps and magnifies the faint light of the distant galaxies behind them. hubble captures the boosted light, revealing the farthest galaxies humanity has ever encountered, and giving us a glimpse of the cosmos to be unveiled by the james webb space telescope .
my formal title is research & instrument scientist in hubble space telescope’s instruments division. i help manage the frontier fields data pipeline, which delivers the best possible calibrated data products to the astronomical community. i am also part of the wfc3 [ wide field camera 3 ] instrument team where i work on calibration of the uvis [ ultraviolet and visible light ] and ir [ infrared light ] detectors .
the data pipeline team keeps an eye on the frontier fields images as they are arriving from the telescope. for a given cluster, these come in a steady stream over a period of about 6 weeks, so we have to keep on top of things. first and foremost we need to be sure that the telescope was pointing in the right place and that it was stable throughout the exposure .
i am an esa / aura astronomer at the space telescope science institute (stsci) in baltimore. i use gravitational lensing to search for distant galaxies in hubble and spitzer space telescope images. i am the gravitational lens model coordinator for the frontier fields program. i also work to support astronomers’ use of hubble’s advanced camera for surveys and the near - infrared camera on the upcoming james webb space telescope .
later in the summer of ’97, i went to new england to tour potential colleges, where, during a short visit to williams college, i met professor jay m. pasachoff and his students who were preparing an expedition to observe the solar eclipse in aruba the following year. that brief encounter, along with the recent experience observing hale - bopp, showed me that studying astronomy would offer an ideal combination of research in the physical sciences and travel to exotic locales to observe both aesthetically and scientifically magnificent phenomena. i was privileged to later study and research with professor pasachoff myself, including an unforgettable expedition to observe the solar eclipse in lusaka, zambia, in 2001 .
increasing solar penetration in africa will improve health, bring electricity to rural hospitals and free citizens from the toxic smoke of paraffin, coal, wood or dung cooking fires. it will drive education by electrifying rural schools and increasing access to the internet. it will empower small businesses. and, of course, it will help to slow the pace of climate change .
the new powerset maxi is supplied in all output sizes between 4. 8 and 9. 9 kilowatt, and there is also a three - phase piko inverter by kostal solar electric that has two mpp trackers. the powerset maxi ’s second mpp tracker makes for a very simple system solution for large domestic roofs involving two strings, which is very quick to plan and install .
on top of it all, gravitational lenses extend hubble’s view deeper into the universe. very distant galaxies are very faint. gravitational lensing not only distorts the image of a background galaxy, it can also amplify its light. looking through a lensing galaxy cluster, hubble can see fainter and more distant galaxies than otherwise possible. the frontier fields project has examined multiple galaxy clusters, measured their lensing and matter distribution, and identified a collection of these most distant galaxies .
gravitational lensing had been used often by astronomers, but its power had yet to be fully exploited. no one had taken ultra - deep images of a galaxy cluster with hubble or spitzer. i advocated for this to a committee convened by former stsci director matt mountain. and now it has become a reality in the frontier fields program led by jennifer lotz. the ultra - deep images of galaxy clusters are revealing the faintest galaxies ever studied, magnified by gravitational lensing .
if you could build the ideal solar power system, you would choose an installation facing south with a tilt angle best suited to the direction of the sun. the environs would be absolutely free of shade and the air would be clear and devoid of impurities – whether dirt, dust, fog or smog. the weather would always be cold and sunny, bringing out the highest possible energy yields .
“it seems like there is quite a bit of interest, which is exciting, ” said helming. “now in california and hawaii and japan, and other parts of the world, there are challenges sometimes finding new locations where you do have fairly high concentrations of both rooftop and ground - mount solar. it makes a lot of sense to look at these underutilized assets owned by water agencies and municipalities for this potential application. ”
“from my perspective, it was about education. you don' t need to spend a small fortune, like tens of thousands of dollars, to put your whole house off - grid, ” explains ibm engineer toby kurien. “if you just wanted to run your business, you could run your laptop, printer and internet using one solar panel and two batteries, and that whole system would cost $ 100 or so. ”
i sew, and have become known for my space dresses; i’ve had several hubble images printed on fabric and turned them into clothing – including two hubble frontier fields dresses – that i wear for outreach events and at conferences. i’m also still interested in science fiction, so i make costumes for science fiction conventions, and sometimes run the conventions themselves. when i moved to the us four years ago i was excited to discover renaissance faires, which seem to be huge outdoor costume parties with jousting and fried food .
so, now, we can also say that we’ve been lucky. the hubble space telescope and the science instruments have performed well, getting us all the data we had hoped and planned to get. as we continue to work on the data, we’re now seeing the more refined versions of the frontier fields images which we will release to the community soon. they are indeed beautiful and interesting, and they will help the community—all of us—to better prepare for the soon - to - come james webb space telescope observations .
when astronomers are granted time on hubble, their program is assigned to a program coordinator to make sure the observations are feasible and schedulable on the telescope. when problems occur any time between acceptance and execution, it’s the program coordinator who helps get problems resolved. we act as liaisons between the various groups at the space telescope science institute (stsci) — science, operations, scheduling — and the observers — principal investigators and co - investigators. i tend toward the large - scale and long - term observations like frontier fields .
that means that thin - film panels generally produce better yields in warmer climes. in places where sufficient space for solar parks, thin - film is beginning to have the edge. it costs less than one us dollar per watt of annual output to establish a factory for cis panels, whereas investments in new factories for crystalline panels costs about four times that. primarily, it is producing the silicon cells that is much more complex and expensive .
after the first servicing mission to hubble in december 1993, the newly installed wide field and planetary camera 2 (wfpc2) imaged the central portion of a remote cluster of galaxies called abell 851, or cl 0939 + 4713. at the time this observation was taken, though only of 10 orbits depth in one filter, it was one of the deepest detailed optical images ever taken of the night sky. this observation was a precursor to and helped inspire the later hubble deep fields and frontier fields and other similar work. credit: alan dressler (carnegie institution) and nasa .
i like the view from where i sit in operations. i like watching a hubble program develop from the initial science outline in the phase 1, to a workable phase 2, to a successfully executed set of observations. i especially love the large and multi - cycle programs — 47 tuc, hubble deep field, ultra deep field, andromeda, candels, and now frontier fields. they allow me to work with people who have such a passion for what they do on these in - depth programs and challenge me to find new ways to get them the science they need .
having been a member of all of stsci’s internal working groups for the various community service deep field projects we have done here since the very first one, and even one of its important predecessors, it has been very interesting to me, and the most fun, to be a part of the debate, discussions, and activity involved in designing and planning these observations, and the way that process has taken place over those years. so, in this blog article, i’d like to share my own longer, and more personal context for the frontier fields program and those which went before.
solar frontier kabushiki kaisha is a japanese photovoltaic company that develops and manufactures thin film solar cells using cigs technology . it is a fully owned subsidiary of showa shell sekiyu and located in minato , tokyo , japan . the company was founded in 2006 as showa shell solar , and renamed solar frontier in april 2010 . 
solar frontier kabushiki kaisha is a japanese photovoltaic company that develops and manufactures thin film solar cells using cigs technology. it is a fully owned subsidiary of showa shell sekiyu and located in minato, tokyo, japan. the company was founded in 2006 as showa shell solar, and renamed solar frontier in april 2010.
solar frontier kabushiki kaisha is a japanese photovoltaic company that develops and manufactures thin film solar cells using cigs technology. it is a fully owned subsidiary of showa shell sekiyu and located in minato, tokyo, japan. the company was founded in 2006 as showa shell solar, and renamed solar frontier in april 2010.