Solar Cells
Sunlight provides the largest of all carbon-neutral energy sources. More energy from sunlight strikes the Earth in one hour than all the energy consumed on the planet in a year.
It is estimated that solar energy can provide 110 GW of new annual power needs by 2016. This would be enough electricity to power 28 million homes, create 260,000 jobs and save consumers over $100 billion in energy costs.
Despite the great potential of solar energy, solar power accounts for well under 1% of U.S. electricity generation. One of the reasons for low application of solar power is the high cost of solar panels. High costs of solar panels have been due to volatile silicon prices, low production volumes and high setup costs. One potential alternative to crystalline silicon PV cells is use of thin films (< 1µm) of semiconducting polymers, which can easily be cast into flexible substrate over a large area using a variety of processing techniques.
American Science and Technology has teamed up with Chicago State University and University of Wisconsin at Madison to develop a thin film flexible solar cell that will have much higher efficiency than its silicon PV cell counterpart.
Bio-fuel
With growing global population and fast pace of
industrialization, especially in developing countries, the thirst for energy
has become even more pronounced. The reserves of fossil energy are finite
and
non-renewable; and their use has contributed to global warming. These
issues have prompted researchers to search for alternative sources of energy
to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Bioenergy, which is the energy derived from renewable sources, can offer an alternative to fossil fuels and thus addressing energy security and environmental concerns while providing new economic opportunities.
At AST and CAET, our research is focused on developing cheaper biofuels and biocrude from non-food materials. Our efforts are directed toward process improvement and optimization, development of novel catalysts, synthesis of biologically-derived additives, and development of genetically modified plants.
Current CAET Programs
High Temperature PEM Fuel Cell
Presently, most mobile robotic systems, such as unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are powered either by petroleum-derived fuel engines or by batteries. The limitations of these strategies, however, are revealed as these robotic vehicles have been deployed for extended periods of time in the battlefield.
Fuel-cells are ideal for robotic vehicle applications, and in fact, for some mission profiles they would be the only suitable choice. By replacing conventional power supply systems with fuel-cell technology packages designed specifically for mobile robotics systems, the potential for enhanced mission capabilities, maintenance efficiency, and, ultimately, cost-savings for the Federal government can be met.
In the Fall of 2007, American Science and Technology, in conjunction with Chicago State University and Enerfuel Inc., designed and developed an innovative High-Temperature PEM Fuel Cell system (HTPEMFC). This system has demonstrated the capability of producing at least 50% more power than its conventional PEM counterparts. The developed technology has been part of the attempt by AST to increase conventional fuel cells’ power density and power-to-weight ratio.
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