In a recent article, NextGen Nano’s Chief Technology Officer Dr Franky So identified how photovoltaic (PV) solar panels could pave the way for significant advancements in the renewable energy industry. Dr So explored the pros and cons of PV solar cell technology, identifying its potential in the global transition to green energy.

What Is PV Technology?

The term ‘photovoltaics’ was coined in around 1890. It is derived from the Greek words phos, meaning light, and volt, which refers to electricity. The direct translation, ‘light-electricity’, essentially describes the way photovoltaic devices and materials work.

Photovoltaics convert light into electricity. Possibly the most widely used example of photovoltaics is the solar-powered calculator, which is powered by a small photovoltaic cell.

Solar PVs do not necessarily need direct sunlight to function, since a small amount of light is often enough for the system to work. Investing in photovoltaics provides electricity not just on long, sunny summer days, but also on cloudy days during the winter months.

Nevertheless, a PV panel’s efficiency is proportional to the amount of light it receives, so the stronger the sun, the better it performs.

Photovoltaic technology uses components with a photoelectric effect to generate electricity. These are called semiconductors. The most common type of semiconductor is silicon. Silicon PV semiconductors absorb photons from light, releasing electrons from the atoms, resulting in an electric current.

Approximately 90% of all PV panels are made from silicon. Material purity, which is dictated by how well the silicon molecules are aligned, determines how well the cell converts solar energy.

Monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si) solar cells contain cylindrical ingots of silicon. Made from the highest-grade silicon, with an efficiency rate of up to 20%, this form of solar cell has the highest efficiency rate. Nevertheless, silicon PV panels have their shortcomings. The circuit can be broken if the panel is partially covered by shade or dirt, and this form of solar panel is also the most expensive to produce.

Polysilicon (p-Si) has lower energy efficiency, at between 13% and 16%. However, they are significantly less expensive to produce than their mono-Si counterparts, and tolerant of lower temperatures.

Dr Franky So of NextGen Nano suggests that we may be on the brink of an evolution in PV technology that could sidestep the issues of economy and efficiency by effectively avoiding them completely. With an experienced management team including Chairman Matthew Stone, NextGen Nano is leading a revolution in solar cell technology. The company has developed a new type of solar cell that substitutes traditional silicon for lightweight organic polymers, resulting in cells that are not only more efficient, but much more flexible.

Called PolyPower, this new generation of solar cells combines PVs with organic semiconductors. The resulting solar cells can be used to make flexible, semi-transparent solar panels with a multitude of different potential uses.

Over the past few years, significant advancements have been achieved in nanotechnology, marrying new materials with new uses. In the case of photovoltaics, experts predict that nanotechnology will make solar cells more economical, drastically reducing the cost of manufacturing solar panels and related equipment, as well as increasing potential uses exponentially.

As Duncan Clark – NextGen Nano’s Director of Operations – will be well aware, the potential of PolyPower is vast. From powering electronic vehicles and wearables to electronics in military hardware, the experts at NextGen Nano predict that the new hardware could have many different applications, making PolyPower an attractive option to environmental experts and product design engineers.

NextGen Nano’s innovative PolyPower technology could prove to be a pivotal step in the global transition to green energies, making the world cleaner and less reliant on pollutants and finite materials.

With time more and more smart devices will be present in our home. We have smartphones, smart TV’s, smartwatches, and who knows, even smart light bulbs or smart outlets. These smart things can be way more comfortable and safer than their non-intelligent versions. For example, if you have a smart thermostat, you can set the temperature even before you’re arriving home, or you can preset the temperature when you wake up, so the house can be warm and cosy when you’re sipping your coffee in the morning. Or perhaps with wirelessly connected cameras, you can see all the time who is in front of your home, even when you’re on vacation over the sea.

So there is no doubt that smart things are useful things. Not just for comfort but to automatise our daily tasks, which makes our lives easier. But after you got all this equipment, you would need a “universal remote” to control all these devices from one point. And this is the point where smart speakers appear.

What are smart speakers?

You may have heard about these speakers like Amazon, Echo, Google Home, Apple home pad. As the name suggests, these are speakers so that they can play different sounds. But what makes them unique is their purpose. They not only can play sounds, music, etc. But they can also receive voice commands.

Just like your assistant in your phone like Siri or Google Assistant, they have an integrated AI which can interpret your commands and make adjustments through your smart devices.

How do they work?

First of all, if you want to set up a smart speaker, or any smart device, you need good and strong internet. A 2.4GHz bandwidth might be enough, but for the real deal, you can get even a dual bandwidth router. Now, all these wireless devices always upload and download information, and for that, they use your routers internet. So my advice is to get a device like Samsung SmartThings Hub, which connects to all of your wireless devices at once and makes you able to control them from one place. This hardware not only lets you easily control, monitor, and secure your home from anywhere in the world. But it also gives your internet more speed by controlling these devices and taking the “pressure” from your router.

And this is where smart speakers can glow. They can collect the signal from all the wirelessly connected devices and control them from one place. So basically it’s just like a universal controller that can adjust every compatible device in your home.

Why isn’t a phone enough?

You can control all these devices and stuff from your phone with apps like “Google Home”, which is available even from iOs devices. But to be honest, your phone is not available all the time. What I mean by that is that there are times where you do certain things that require both of your hands, or you just can’t find your phone. This is when smart speakers are the most useful. No wonder they are called virtual assistants, because they do everything that you ask them.

Also, there are certain times when you use your phone for a different purpose. Like to play a game, make a call, read the news. And maybe you can take a break from news reading to adjust some things. But when you’re in the middle of a game, or a call, you can’t change the apps. For example, if you’re in the middle of a blackjack game, and you’re just the about to find out your final card, you won’t leave the game just to adjust the temperature. The game can also close, and all your process will be forgotten.

This could be a very concrete example, but the point is that your phone won’t always be available. And it’s better to have another source to control your smart devices that can be accessed anytime. It’s also easier to say some words, rather than to unlock your phone and open the app, especially if you multitask.

Are they worth it?

In America, 1 out of 4 people owns a smart speaker, and they really enjoy it. Therefore there is something enjoyable about them. However, there are some cases in which they are not worth it. Like if you only have 2 or 3 smart things in your home. Just for the enjoyment of having a smart home assistant, it might not be a wise decision.

But if you have multiple devices, it will be a game-changer. You can create a lot of automated processes. Like to create a relaxing atmosphere where are the light will go as low as possible, your phone will go in airplane mode, and some calming music will play—all that with some single words.

However, there are more ways why they could be useful. Other than automatisation, and multitasking it can execute task what might be difficult for a human person. This voice-activated smart assistant could be the only way for people with physical problems. Or it could give more security for elderly people by automatically turning off the lights, or setting reminders for them.

In recent years, the aviation industry has attracted scathing criticism for producing high volumes of carbon emissions. According to statistics published by the Air Transport Action Group, in 2019 alone, the global aviation industry produced somewhere in the region of 915 million tonnes of CO2.

As Duncan Clark – Renovare Fuels’ Business Development Director – will be well aware, the UK Government recently announced plans to make greener air travel a top priority, providing special funding in support of such efforts.

As a leading specialist in the field of carbon-neutral liquid fuels and with a management team including Chairman Matthew Stone, Renovare Fuels is at the forefront of an industry shift, leading the transition to greener aviation.

Total global CO2 emissions for 2019 amounted to 43 billion tonnes, with the aviation industry accounting for just 2% of that figure. On the face of it, this seems like a drop in the ocean. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the ever-increasing impact of emissions as a driver for climate change, governments and organisations all over the world are rapidly arriving at the conclusion that 2% is still 2% too much.

Over the past few years, the aviation industry has seen consistent growth. According to a study undertaken by the International Council on Clean Transportation, between 2013 and 2018 aviation carbon emissions grew at a rate 70% faster than predicted.

The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic has undeniably curtailed air travel, curbing CO2 emissions for 2020. The industry currently faces substantial challenges in the fight against Covid-19, not to mention significant economic pressures that are diverting attention away from sustainability issues. However, improved sustainability is still important, and remains a crucial mid- to long-term goal.

Even in the current environment, the need for long-term change within the aviation industry is an important talking point. Following the inaugural meeting of the UK Department for Transport’s Net Zero Board, it was announced that international shipping and aviation would form part of the UK Government’s Net Zero Target in coming years, placing even greater impetus on greener aviation. The UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) also recently announced plans to invest £400 million in green aerospace technology and research.

It is not just down to aerospace design engineers to make aviation greener. Everyone has their own part to play, including the end user. A few years ago, many airlines and their customers embraced the UN Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation. There are many ways aviation companies can offset emissions, but possibly the most impactful is by incorporating biofuels in their fuel stock.

Derived from waste, biofuels offer significant value to airlines. Since biofuel is developed using waste materials produced by other industrial sectors such as agriculture, transitioning to biofuels not only reduces CO2 emissions, but it does not require additional energy output or compete with existing crops.

Renovare Fuels is currently developing second generation biofuels for aviation, providing objectively carbon-neutral fuel sources for end users. Perhaps the biggest advantage of adopting these fuels is that simply by partnering with a biofuel producer, airlines create sustainable fuel supply chains that have a significant impact in terms of offsetting emissions. Although this is just one option for making aviation more sustainable, it certainly shows a great deal of promise. Industry experts point out that while the BEIS is right to address the need for supplemental research into technologies which support better fuel economies, it is unquestionably beneficial for end users to adopt biofuels in terms of offsetting CO2 emissions. For green aviation to really get off the ground, experts say it is vital for end users to take meaningful steps now, embracing carbon-neutral fuel sources to curb overall emission levels.