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http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20...-Prototype
3d solar manufactured their first cell using commercially available off the shelf devices that increase the solar cells efficiency by 50% over current solar cells. Hopefully their promise of low cost manufacturing pans out and we see these on the market competitively priced within the next few years.
Wow! This is great news for sunny places such as Hawaii!
Hopefully we'll all be one day using solar and ditching Helco once and for all!
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The Panasonic HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer) solar cell is amazing by itself. The regular panels lose efficiency when they get hot with the HIT maintaining higher outputs over the same range. The HIT is also providing almost 20% more power over a 15% smaller footprint area. This is a good comparison of use in England during a year and the HIT provides higher outputs during months of few sunny days.
http://solarecouk.com/comparision-performance-graphs
Even before this 3D manufacturing shows up, the HIT panels mean a moderate sized factory can cover its roof, provide more than enough power for its operations, and sell the excess 80% into the grid. The reality is that HECO won't allow this for a long time though. 3D probably means even less footprint space for even higher power density. Who knows, 5 panels for 5 kW?
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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Sanyo also has the HIT panels, & an integrated aluminum Florian racking system was installed with the Sanyo HIT panels at UH -Hilo in the "Kipuka" (not the finest use of teh HIT properties, but a really nice see-through lanai panel installation.
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Yeah, Panasonic bought Sanyo in 2010
http://www.luxresearchinc.com/blog/2010/...and-solar/
Panasonic acquires Sanyo and becomes a top player in Li-ion batteries and solar
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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I didn't know of the change, but have been watching the Sanyo panels for more than a couple of years, so may have missed the change!
well for those that want to see the HIT panels... they are in Hilo at the university (the Kipuka is between PB-10 & 12, across from the dorms, and west of the LIbrary, north of the UCB building) Added, summer - no parking fees, parking fees (M-F until 4pm) begins in mid August
Map:
http://hilo.hawaii.edu/images/maps/main_campus_map.pdf
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Anybody dealt with this HIT vendor-
http://hawaiisolarroofing.com/hawaii-sol...ducts.html
I'm also looking at the hybrid panels supposedly more efficient in lo-light windward weather though they have lower overall efficiency than the crystalline silicon panels China flooding the market with.
Also interested in deep cycle batteries from becsolar.
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Big development on the news today, the county is going to investigate the HECO obstructions increasing personal solar PV installation costs.
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/sect...dable.html
Council committee seeks to make converting to solar more affordable
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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wow...Helco is like the big oil companies trying to keep high efficient cars out of the market. Amazing...
