💚 Record-Breaking Solar Panels🔋
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
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Stay impactful,
Happy Tuesday 👋
Think about how much energy we use every day. Still, so much of it is coming from fossil fuels and it still seems like a somewhat unstoppable industry…
I don’t know how it’s for you these days, but when I look outside, I can see the sun shining strongly. It can firsthand feel the ever-hotter-getting summers caused by climate change.
And while I have to put on plenty of sunscreen, those are great days for any solar panels trying to capture the energy coming from solar radiation (aka our sun).
I have always thought that it’s a pity that solar panel efficiency is still so low as the sun basically provides free energy for us to use (and to get rid of our fossil fuel dependency).
That’s why I’m especially happy to share today’s main story with you…
🔋 Breakthrough: Solar Panels Reach Record Efficiency at 19.31%
Exciting news from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University! Researchers, led by Prof. LI Gang, have achieved a breakthrough in solar energy with organic solar cells, reaching a record-breaking power-conversion efficiency of 19.31%.
This is a huge improvement, an efficiency of just 7% was considered good as recent as in 2010.
And solar panels are one of the most common forms of renewable energy out there and are essential investments if we want to transition out of carbon-emitting energy.
The team’s findings, published in Nature Communications, mark an important step forward in solar energy technology.
With further improvements, these solar cells could reach even higher efficiencies, making them more accessible and beneficial for a wide range of applications.
These solar panel efficiency breakthroughs could help accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
Prof. Li said, “The new finding […] will likely create tremendous opportunities in applications like portable electronics and building-integrated PVs.”
And I am excited that this discovery brings us closer to achieving a sustainable environment powered by cost-effective and efficient solar energy.
With these increased improvements, I can’t wait to know how efficient solar panels will become in the near future!
📢 More Good News…
👉 Renewable energy top in EU: For the first time, wind and solar exceeded fossil fuels within the EU energy sphere. This points to a positive trend that could possibly see renewable energy overtaking non-renewable energy!
👉 Rainforest deforestation slows: Though the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest remains an ongoing problem, May 2023 showed signs of slowing. The number of trees cleared in the Amazon was 10% less than the same month last year, suggesting that the clearing might have reached its peak.
👉 New treaty for plastic waste: In order to curb the negative impacts of plastic waste, many world leaders are working on a global treaty restricting plastic. Hopefully, this will lead to a reduction in the amount of plastic waste and production worldwide.
Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society together!
Stay impactful 💚
Dennis
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🌎 Event of the Week: Global Wind Day
💨 Did you know that Global Wind Day comes up this coming Thursday, on June 15th? Global Wind Day aims to raise awareness for wind energy. Wind energy is one of the most important forms of renewable energy and so this Thursday make sure to learn how you can implement wind energy in your own life or support its expansion!
Below are our favorite articles that are especially relevant for World Oceans Day:
- Wind Energy Explained
- What is the Carbon Footprint of Wind Energy?
- Renewable Energy Explained
- Is All Renewable Energy Sustainable?
📜 This Week in History
🗽June 13, 1966: The ‘Miranda’ is officially legislated in the United States, meaning that those accused or arrested have constitutional rights, including remaining silent and being represented by an attorney. These rights are commonly read by police officers in the US to this day.
🇺🇸 June 14, 1777: The Continental Congress approved the Stars and Stripes as the first national flag of the United States. That first Flag Resolution read, in toto, “Resolved, that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation.”
✒️ June 15, 1215: The Magna Carta is signed by King John, creating the first official charter of British liberties. This legal document limited the powers of the monarchy, established principles of justice and the rule of law, and guaranteed basic rights that have since become the foundation of modern democracies around the world.
💭 Quote of the Week
“To no one will We sell, to no one will We deny or delay, right or justice.”
— Magna Carta
