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The latest news in energy efficiency
February 13, 2012
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Where are they now?
With a proposed extension of the production tax credit for wind power now making its way through the legislative process, perhaps it is appropriate to return to an old story about what happened to a batch of wind turbines erected in the 1980s after their tax benefits ran out. You can find a link to the main story in our blog area.
As always, you can send your energy efficiency news to us at [email protected] -- Leland Teschler, Editor
Featured Content
Lithium-ion......capacitors?
As you might suspect, a lithium-ion capacitor is a kind of ultracapacitor. But you won't see any headlines about lithium-ion capacitor fires. Unlike the battery chemistry, lithium-ion caps don't heat up. The lithium-ion capacitor's claim to fame is an energy density four times higher than that of conventional electric double layer capacitors (EDLC), i.e. supercaps. It also has a maximum cell voltage of 3.8 V, about 50% higher than ordinary supercaps. This lets about one-third fewer cells connected in series provide a target voltage.
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A solar panel built into your window
A solar cell that is 9.1% efficient doesn't sound like much, but it is impressive when you are talking about a polymer/fullerene organic solar cell. Organic cells on plastic substrates have been able to demonstrate about 6% efficiency at best. But that changed recently when Polyera Corp. managed to get 9.1% efficiency out of its inverted bulk heterojunction solar cell architecture. The significance of this development is that it brings organic solar cells close to the 10% efficiency mark that manufacturers like Polyera say is necessary to realize any kind of a commercial product.
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Boker's 2012 Washers Catalog Boker's complimentary 2012 Washer Catalog offers a selection of more than 26,000 non-standard flat washer sizes available with no tooling charges. With outside diameters ranging from 0.080" to 5.140", a wide variety of inside diameters and thicknesses and over 2,000 material options available, Boker's provides endless washer and spacer possibilities. Materials include low-carbon sheet steel, various spring steels, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, nickel silver and non-metallics. ISO 9001:2008 Registered www.bokers.com/eete
National Electrical Code looks at EVs
Though electric vehicles are relatively new on the scene, the National Electrical Code has incorporated rules about their safe use as far back as the 1990s, when the Society of Automotive Engineers sponsored an article on EVs that became Article 625. There continue to be updates, primarily covering new terminology and provisions to use EVs as a source of power for premises wiring systems. In that regard, NFPA’s Standards Council recently issued two Tentative Interim Amendments to Article 625 in the 2011 NEC.
Energy shorts
GaN FETs get more attention: This time it's a low-side gate driver
How to make energy guzzling set-top boxes more energy efficient
Schottky diodes target solar arrays
A gate driver for beefy EV inverters
Power supplies efficient enough for ErP
Motor drives for Energy Star appliances
LED Lighting
Now you, too, can own an L-Prize LED bulb
Consumers can now own an LED-based bulb that has the equivalent of a 60-W incandescent bulb's lumen output. The vaunted DOE L-Prize winner from Philips, now given the catchy name of 10A19/LPRIZE-PRO/2700-900 DIM 10/1, goes on sale this month. One problem: It will set you back $50. The price, of course, will drop over time.Featured Links
Thomas Division
Thomas provides OEM pump and compressor innovations for environmental applications with oil-less technology offerings including WOB-L® and articulated piston, diaphragm, rotary, linear, and liquid pumps.
www.gd-thomas.com
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