Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich have developed a new form of ultra-thin, curved roofing that’s capable of producing solar power. The design will allow a residential structure that’s part of the school’s living lab facility, NEST, to generate more energy than it consumes. The roof is made up of several layers; an inner sheet of concrete, which acts as a foundation for heating and cooling coils and insulation, which are in turn covered by more concrete. Thin-film photovoltaic cells used to harvest solar energy are then installed on the exterior of the building.
Futurism 19th Oct 2017 read more »
The UK is the sixth largest producer of solar power in the world (after China, Germany, Japan, US, Italy) with an installed capacity of 9.1GW in 2015. Solar power installations in the UK have received continuous support from the successive governments. In 2015, the country proposed to cut reduce subsidies for solar and biomass projects as part of its plans to control the costs of renewable energy. In a report released in that year, the UK Solar Trade Association (STA) had urged the government to adopt a higher solar ambition scenario with a target of 25GW by 2020.
Energy Business Review 20th Oct 2017 read more »
