Solar Research Boom in Florida

A cooperative effort in the State of Florida to find new and better methods of implementing renewable energy solutions is off and running and the possibilities are exciting.  According to their website the Florida Energy Systems Consortium (FESC) was "created by the Florida State government to promote collaboration among the energy experts at its 11 supported universities to share energy-related expertise. The consortium assists the state in the development and implementation of an environmentally compatible, sustainable, and efficient energy strategic plan."

According to a report by Greentech Media, The following projects are currently underway by the FESC:

Solar-Powered Desalination: This research focuses on using the sun to create drinking water from seawater. The process involves using solar energy collectors to heat the seawater at above the boiling point to collect evaporated water, which then contains no salt. The vapor is condensed after going through a heat exchanger that uses cold seawater. The fresh water is then position to fall 10 meters or more to run a vacuum, which increases the evaporation rate. The brine, with concentrated salt, is sent back to the ocean.

Germ Killer From the Sky: Early research is in place to use solar energy to disinfect water. The idea is to create a catalyst using materials such as titanium dioxide that can absorb sunlight and create free radicals. The free radicals then seek out and kill microbes in the water.

A Cooler Way to Generate Solar Thermal Power: Solar thermal power needs to be cheaper in order for it to be competitive with conventional power, Anderson said. Cutting the equipment cost by about 50 percent is the way to do it. But how? Researchers are exploring the use of ammonia to generate solar thermal power at a much lower temperature. The lead researcher of the project, Yogi Goswami, has gotten funding from venture-backed and India-based SunBorne Energy, where he serves as its technology advisor, to commercialize his research. He's planning a pilot plant at the University of South Florida. 

Solar Cell/LED/Battery Module: A solar cell produces direct current. A light-emitting diode runs on a direct current. A battery can store direct current. So why not combine them together to create a lighting system with energy storage? That's idea behind the research to build a solar cell with transparent organic material on top of an organic LED. The LED emits light downward and sits on top of a transparent platform that's embedded with lithium-ion batteries. The solar cell charges the battery during the day, and the batteries can power the LED light at night.

With such a lack of government support as well as a Florida Public Service Commission that does not appear committed to renewable energy it is great to see the university system take the lead on renewable energy innovation.