Is a solar iPhone in the future?

Solar cell phones have been gradually hitting the market over the past year.  But the most popular phone, Apple’s iPhone may soon take solar cell phones mainstream.

Many have been wondering, is a solar iPhone in the works, after discovering that Apple won a patent related to use of solar power in mobile devices.

Although Apple is not the first company to consider solar powering its devices, its influence in the market will arguably be the most effective in getting consumers to seriously think about portable solar power.  Why?  Because many people consider Apple to be the technological leader in the industry.  Incorporation of solar power could have a broad-based ripple effect across other competitors, as well.

Apple’s new patent is related to an earlier solar-related patent it won in 2011.  The filing for the new patent explains:

“The voltage converter is configured to monitor or detect an amount of power drawn by the electronic load at the output of the voltage converter.”  The controller responds and controls the converter, conditioning the power used by the device. “As a result, the output voltage from the solar power source is maintained within a predetermined range.”

The question is when and if a solar iPhone will be released anytime soon.  Experts are predicting that the iPhone 5 will be launched in October 2011.  But will it include solar panels for recharging ease?  And, if so, will Apple develop its own solar cells for incorporation, or rely on a third-party solar cell company.

Use of solar power to recharge electronic devices like cell phones is a smart, inexpensive way for people to stay in touch when they are away from electrical outlets and generally on the go (think students, recreational enthusiasts and more).  If a solar iPhone is in the works, Apple may just be timing its solar cell phone so that it will be remembered as the pioneer of this influential technology.

HyperSolar's solar concentrator improves solar cell efficiency

HyperSolar, based in Santa Barbara, California has developed a patent-pending solar technology to effectively improve solar cell efficiency.  Ordinarily, efficient solar cells convert only 15% of the energy from sunlight into electricity.  With HyperSolar’s technology, photonics (guiding light) acts like a magnifying glass, concentrating sunlight onto solar cells.

The company is developing a thin, flat solar concentrator that would be placed on top of existing solar cells.  Not only will the solar concentrator enable solar panels to generate significantly more energy, but its inexpensive to create and install.  The solar technology allows fewer solar cells within a single solar panel, which means less silicon is required, further dropping the cost of solar electricity.

Breakthrough solar technology from HyperSolar

HyperSolar’s solar concentrator uses four innovations:

• Micro-concentrators — A matrix of small, highly efficient solar concentrators  collect sunlight from a wide range of angles, eliminating the need for tracking mechanisms
• Photonics light routing — A solid-state photonics network underneath the micro-concentrators transports light from collection points at the top to the concentrated output points at the bottom
• Photonics light separation — The photonics network separates collected sunlight into different spectrum ranges, which can be routed to different types of solar cells
• Photonics thermal management — The heat from unused portions of the solar spectrum is filtered out, thus avoiding overheating, which can degrade solar cell  performance

HyperSolar plans on entering into a partnership with a PV solar panel manufacturer that will use the solar concentrator to improve solar cell efficiency and reduce costs of solar power.  The potential for this product is huge.  With solar power demand on the rise, consumers are continuing to look for cleaner, cheaper, reliable means of generating electricity.

MIT researchers are looking into new solar panel technology

Over the past 3 years, the price of solar panels has dropped dramatically – in some cases by 2/3 of the original cost.  Yet, with use of new technology, could solar panels be even more affordable?

Researchers are studying the potential replacement of expensive silicon used in PV panels with a new, less expensive form of carbon in organic solar photovoltaic (OPV) cells.  The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is experimenting with use of graphene, which is also known as graphite, in solar cells.

The mineral – more commonly used as lead in pencils – can form one-atom-thick sheets of honeycomb crystal lattice material with excellent conductive properties.  Graphene could be ideal for creating affordable solar panels for the following reasons: (1) its 100 times stronger than steel; (2) performs better than any other material as a heat conductor; (3) its thin nature makes it extremely flexible and transparent, which is ideal for thin film solar applications including building integrated photovoltaic applications such as solar roof shingles.

The biggest drawback of using graphene in solar cells is that, since the material repels moisture, it does not adhere well to other components of solar panels.  MIT researchers developed a way to introduce impurities to the graphene to encourage better bonding which, as a result, improved its electrical conductivity.

Add this new research into the column of “wins” for MIT in the area of solar technology.  Last year, news of its paper solar cells caused quite a stir.  Over time, we’ll see more affordable, and more efficient solar panels with the work of researchers like those at MIT.

SoloPower will be manufacturing thin film solar cells in Wilsonville, Oregon

The state of Oregon, on the West Coast of the United States, will soon be the home of another new solar cell manufacturing plant.  Last week, SoloPower announced that it will manufacture its flexible thin film solar cells at a new facility in Wilsonville, just 20 minutes south of Portland.  Certainly this news will add to Oregon’s leadership in the field of solar energy!

A number of green solar jobs will be created as a result of SoloPower’s plant in Oregon.  Initially, 170 new employment positions will be created during the construction of a 75 megawatt (MW) manufacturing line.  Eventually, the plant will have a 300 MW capacity and employ about 500 workers.

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, commented about the new solar cell manufacturing plant and associated green jobs:

“SoloPower is bringing exactly the kind of new jobs Oregon needs. By bringing their manufacturing headquarters to Wilsonville, we are continuing on the path toward establishing a stronger clean technology manufacturing base in Oregon.”

SolarPower is a California-based company.  So why is it building a state-of-the-art production facility for its solar modules in Oregon?

Two words: tax incentives.  The Small Scale Energy Loan Program (SELP) Advisory Committee recommended approval to the Oregon Department of Energy for a $20 million loan to SoloPower.  In addition, SoloPower is seeking a Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) of $20 million from the State of Oregon.  SoloPower CEO Tim Harris commented:

“Over the past year, SoloPower has considered several alternative sites. Oregon is an exceptional location for our long-term growth.  SoloPower greatly appreciates the partnerships it has formed with the State of Oregon, the Oregon Department of Energy, Clackamas County and the City of Wilsonville.  Oregon’s business friendly environment, excellent support programs, and highly skilled work force made locating our new manufacturing facility in Oregon an easy decision.”

The benefits of the Wilsonville location go both ways.  SoloPower will enjoy tax advantages and government incentives, and Oregon boosts its national reputation as the home of the top solar manufacturing cluster, while locals enjoy the creation of green jobs in Oregon.