#1 – And For Our Final Jolt

We’ve looked at new solar designs, water purification, desert and floating solar farms, paint, tile and new colors, thin film and capturing sunlight after sundown.

What, then is, in our humble opinion, the #1 solar advancement to anticipate? We’re betting on thermal batteries that will both store and release heat.

Imagine hiking all day while your clothing absorbs sunlight which you later release via a thermal battery to stay warm at night or use to cook dinner instead of starting a fire.

Or a thermal battery that can heat a home or melt away snow via placement of a thin film on roofs, driveways and roadways.

Scientists at the University of Massachusetts and MIT are progressing, via different methods, to store thermal energy that will be able to create on-demand heat.

It may not be feasible at present but in about a decade, thermal batteries may well be to heating and cooking what electrical batteries are to your smartphone or car.

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Published by
Steven J. Schleider, MAI, LEED-AP BD+C
President, Metropolitan Valuation Services

#2 – Rollin’ on the River

Floating solar or FPV (floating photovoltaic) doesn’t look anything like a river boat queen – but they sure are a pretty sight to those who want to generate cost-efficient solar power but don’t have large tracts of sunny land or enough roofs to do it on.

Vacant land in the U.S. Mojave Desert and elsewhere in the world’s sunniest countries far outside of developed areas, make huge solar farms financially feasible. But, based on the value of real estate, solar farms are rarely going to be the most profitable development use in urban, suburban or even country areas. But water, in this case man-made water such as basins, lakes and reservoirs, are nearly everywhere.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently issued a press release indicating that floating photovoltaic panels (which they call floatovoltaics) on man-made bodies of water can conservatively produce 10% of the country’s energy. Also among its benefits is decreasing evaporation and algae in used water sources.

Calling floatovoltaics an “emerging technology” (even though the first patent was obtained in 2008) that “addresses the energy/water nexus”, NREL research is ongoing including how to integrate floating PV panels into the supply/demand equation.

After land and water, what’s left to explore? Outer space, of course. China is already planning to launch a space solar generator by 2050.

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Published by
Steven J. Schleider, MAI, LEED-AP BD+C
President, Metropolitan Valuation Services

#3 – Water, Water Everywhere

Do you remember the poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and the line, “water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink”? The sailor in Coleridge’s poem is stranded on a becalmed sea surrounded by saltwater.

We take our water for granted today whether it’s the world-renowned water from New York City taps, purified by filters or bottled, even though the latter is an environmental scourge. But in many parts of the world, especially in impoverished countries, pure water cannot be taken for granted. It’s a necessity that becomes safe to drink via solar purification.

Solar water disinfection uses UV-A radiation as a germicide and infrared to raise the temperature for pasteurization. While it is feasible, relatively simple and inexpensive, it is also time-consuming requiring hours of sunlight. In early 2017, researchers announced the development of an inexpensive solar still that would significantly decrease the amount of time needed to purify water.

But now there’s even better news. Stanford University researchers in tandem with the Department of Energy have developed a small solar energy tablet about the size of an Altoid mint that can purify water in a matter of minutes vs. hours.

Imagine the uses in countries where water is filthy and bacteria-laden. In the U.S., the first uses may be with hikers, campers and other REI types who would no longer need to filter, boil or use chemicals to purify water in the great outdoors.

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Published by
Steven J. Schleider, MAI, LEED-AP BD+C
President, Metropolitan Valuation Services

#4 – Up On The Roof: Tesla Solar Tiles

The thought the comes to mind with Tesla Solar Roof tiles is that age-old inquiry during long road trips, “Are we there yet?”

Tesla announced its Solar Roof in late 2016. Hindered by what the company called “an imperfect process” in manufacturing, those who put down a deposit in 2017 and up until mid 2018, should finally see installation by mid-2019 as production finally goes into full volume.

Tesla’s Solar Roof tiles are made of solar and non-solar glass, designed to create a beautiful, traditional-looking tile roof that integrates with a home’s architecture (rather than PV panels which adhere to a roof but aren’t physically part of it) and include a warranty “for the lifetime of your house, or infinity, whichever comes first.” The tempered glass is being promoted as three times stronger than “regular” roofing tiles. Tesla also recommends that every installed roof include a Powerwall battery.

When introduced over two years ago, Elon Musk said Tesla’s Solar Roof would cost less than ordinary roofs. Last December, Tesla announced its per square foot cost at $21.85. Is that cheaper than installing an ordinary roof? A homeowner must factor in solar energy financial benefits such as the 30% Solar Investment Tax Credit, additional state or city incentives and reduced electricity cost as well as where their home is in the roof-replacement cycle. There is also the question of how to set a value on these tiles being in harmony with a home’s architectural style.

Whether less expensive or not (the jury seems to be out as the answer is dependent of many variables), the tiles become part of a home’s structure, are available in various styles, will last for the life of the house and seamlessly blend into a home’s aesthetic. All of those are big advances in solar energy, making them worth the wait.

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PHOTO: Tesla

Published by
Steven J. Schleider, MAI, LEED-AP BD+C
President, Metropolitan Valuation Services

#5 – Solar is the New Paint

It won’t be the color of the year. Or even next year or perhaps five or more years. But, before we know it, there will be a new section in home improvement stores – paint that will ultimately turn into fuel.

This is the year that paint became a potentially viable conductor and collector of solar energy. But there’s a lot more to it. The paint, an innovation from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia, uses both sunlight and moisture to generate energy.

According to a report on theirwebsite, the addition of a silicone gel-typematerial that also acts as a semi-conductor absorbs solar energy as well as moisture from the surrounding air. It will be able to capture moisture even in hot, dry climates that are near oceans. It can then split the water into hydrogen and oxygen, collecting the hydrogen for use in fuel cells or to power a vehicle.

Think about it. In the future, you may be driving your car with clean fuel generated by sunlight, moisture and your house paint.

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Published by
Steven J. Schleider, MAI, LEED-AP BD+C
President, Metropolitan Valuation Services

#6 – Size Matters

“Would you like to supersize that?” has new meaning beyond fast food. Solar farms are growing bigger all over the globe. The reasons:

· PV solar panel costs are going down.

· The panels are readily available for immediate construction.

· The time frame for generating solar is shorter than other energy forms.

· Huge solar sites tend to be off the grid and, thereby, less expensive.

Supersize solar farms may be what propel widespread adoption of this renewal, but there are challenges to be met. One of the most significant is the means, such as electrical grids, by which a superfarm’s energy will be transmitted to populated areas. One of the other stumbling blocks is the ageless and endless NIMBY argument, even when the backyard is vast, undeveloped land.

Countries with large tracts of undeveloped, sunny land, such as Egypt, China, Morocco and India, are in the forefront of global supersizing. In the U.S., some of the largest farms are, logically, in California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. The first commercial solar plants in the country were built in the 1980s in the California-Nevada Mojave Desert.

What then are countries with long, dark winters, extended rainy seasons and/or limited amounts of land to do? Japan, an island country of limited land and dense population and development, is exploring having a solar farm satellite by the 2030s that will beam energy to a vast number of antennas.

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By Steven J. Schleider, MAI, LEED-AP BD+C
President, Metropolitan Valuation Services

Ultra thin Sanyo solar film. Photo: Sanyo

#7: Yes, You Can Be Too Thin 

One would think that the development and production of thin solar film that can be rolled out to cover a roof would transform the industry. Though film provides numerous benefits – it is lightweight, flexible, durable, easier to install and offers more opportunities for placement as it works with existing rooftop materials.

Why then have they not overtaken the market as an alternative to photovoltaic panels? Because there’s always a catch.

Thin film solar is less efficient than PV panels, a difference of 4-12% vs. 13-19%. Taking that one step further, thin film installation areas must be significantly larger to equal PV panel energy harvesting.

While thin film manufacturers are setting a goal of achieving 25% efficiency, currently thin film is impractical for residential use based on available roof space, but a viable alternative for larger commercial and industrial properties.

And yes, if you’re interested, thin film panels are available on Amazon via Prime delivery. Isn’t everything?

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By Steven J. Schleider, MAI, LEED-AP BD+C
President, Metropolitan Valuation Services

It’s not only hay, but also solar energy, that needs to be made while the sun shines. The need for daylight has been a major drawback to maximizing collection of solar energy to be used, stored or sold. Until now.

Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory have developed a new technology that allows for gathering sunlight for a few hours after sundown. Their “nanoantenna” embeds a very slim piece of conducting metal onto plastic film which is then able to absorb infrared energy stored in the earth, even after the sun sets.

Though still not ready for prime time, the technology opens a new doorway into cost-efficient energy gathering as it will be a cost-efficient film that can be installed on flexible materials.

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By Steven J. Schleider, MAI, LEED-AP BD + C President, Metropolitan Valuation Services