Free Republic

You think solar electrical generation is going to save you or the Planet? Think again. While it is true that photovoltaic solar panels do not pollute while they are producing electricity -- what about the manufacturing process? What happens when these panels reach the end of their projected lifecycle in twenty-five years? (This is, by the way, an optimistic view of their useful life.) Those questions are addressed in a study by the watchdog group Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. "Green Power" is being hyped as the "Safe Solution." It is anything but safe -- when all factors are considered. Here...

President Bush said he would speed up his alternative-energy push during the remainder of his term with new spending focused on easing bottlenecks that are slowing the spread of ethanol in the market. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal on a swing through Alabama, Mr. Bush said he is seeking ways to overcome difficulties in transporting the fuel, and to increase the number of stations selling it.

PHOENIX, April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- RoseStreet Labs announced today a Solar Cell Commercialization Agreement to develop full spectrum photovoltaics, commonly referred to as PV's or solar cells, utilizing licensed technology jointly developed by Cornell University and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. These solar cells will be the first commercialized that capture the broad spectrum of the sun's energy utilizing thin film technology, a single material system and with potential efficiencies exceeding 55%. RoseStreet Labs plans on leveraging FlipChip International, its high volume semiconductor bumping foundry in Phoenix, to produce an excellent low cost renewable energy solution with this technology. The...