Conclusion

Closure

For business leaders, it is important to be wary of the future, especially when technology evolves faster than ever. Different field of disruptive technologies have different levels of impact. Managers should pick up the relevant fields and invest in them to gain competitive advantage. Businesses should be sensitive to the changes in customer preferences due to technology advancements.

If used properly, latest technology can be a good way to advance humanity. For example, solar energy sheds light of hope to humanity by providing a renewable and cleaner energy source. It is important for corporations to take care of stakeholders to change their perception of companies being only profit driven but to a corporation that also maintains high level of corporate social responsibility.

We hope you have enjoyed your read with us. This is Team 6 signing off.

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Written by: Team 6
Last Edit: 12/11/2015 2:31 P.M. by S

Transparent Solar Cells

Until today, solar panels are commonly semi-transparent or tinted black in colour. But now, companies around the United States are researching a new type of solar panel, one that is fully transparent.

Yes, the solar cell is fully transparent and can't be distinguished from a normal piece of glass. If applied to our modern day buildings, they would look exactly the same as it were now. The way it works is that it captures the light that we cannot see with our naked eye, being ultraviolet and infrared light. The light is then guided to the edge of the glass where thin strips of solar cells will capture the energy to convert it into electricity. This has the potential to solve any energy crisis a city could be facing. A city with all of its windows being able to generate electricity, this could be the future for solar technology.

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References :

Petrunia, P., (2015).  Michigan State University researchers develop completely transparent solar panels. Available at: http://archinect.com/news/article/139550126/michigan-state-university-researchers-develop-completely-transparent-solar-panels. [Accessed 9 November 2015].

Olewitz, C., (2015). Transparent solar cells are here, but they won't see the light of day for years. Available at http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/ubiquitous-energy-transparent-solar-power-timeline/. [Accessed 9 November 2015].

Written by: Teh Hui Huang

3D Printed Solar Energy Trees

Artificial Electricity Harvesting Trees   

In a world with a growing need for energy, it is very important to suffice such needs. However, careful consideration must be taken to ensure that we do not take the easy way out by burning cheap, available fossil fuels that brings adverse effects to the environment. We should take the initiative in finding alternative renewable energy sources which will help reduce the pollution in the environment instead. Imagine if you could get electricity by adding more “trees” while reducing pollutants. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), the largest leading multidisciplinary research and technology organisation in Northern Europe has managed to develop and produced a unique innovative technology, namely the artificial electricity harvesting trees.

3D Printing Process

These trees can be infinitely replicated through the application of another emerging technology which is 3D-printing ^[1] (additive manufacturing). Manufacturing using 3D-printing helps saves massive amount of time and is capable of manufacturing components of different materials together which were previously impossible using traditional manufacturing methods via subtractive manufacturing. Since the trees can be made via well-established and widely used mass production technique, it can be a safe investment for investors to venture into.

The tree’s leaves are made up of printed organic solar cells ^[2] and each leaf has a separate power converter. The plastic in organic solar cells can be produced at high volumes at low costs and with only a small amount of materials it enables the organic solar cells to absorb large amount of light. A multi-converter system makes the tree possible to harvest energy from a variety of sources other than sunlight, such as wind and fluctuations in temperature.

    

                

  

The tree’s trunk consists of 3D printed biocomposites ^[3] which means they are biodegradable and pollute the environment less. Aside from being durable, biocomposites are also a cheap, renewable source can be completely recyclable in most cases. As a technology enabler, VTT has the know-how to develop and tailor 3D printed biocomposites.

                           

All in all this technology might not be able to bear fruit to eat however it is still a momentous innovation. Imagine a tree that creates electricity from sunshine, vibrations and temperature differentials; it’s simply amazing!

“Today it can power your mobile, but imagine the impact a whole forest can have tomorrow.” - VTT

Want to know more? Click on the video below:

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^[1] 3D-printing: A term used to describe any one of various processes used to synthesize a three-dimensional object

^[2] Organic solar cells: A type of polymer solar cell that uses organic electronics, a branch of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules, for light absorption and charge transport to produce electricity from sunlight by the photovoltaic effect.

^[3] Biocomposites: A composite material formed by a matrix (resin) and a reinforcement of natural fibres.

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References:

Bartel, C., (2014). Additive vs subtractive manufacturing. Available at

http://www.approto.com/Media-Center/Additive-vs-Subtractive-Manufacturing--Which-is-Ri.aspx. [Accessed 18 September 2015].

Collins, W., (2012). Biodegradable. Available at

            http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/biodegradable.

            [Accessed 18 September 2015].

Collins, W., (2012). Durable. Available at

            http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/durable.

            [Accessed 18 September 2015].

Ramon, A., (2015). 3D Printed Solar Energy Trees. Available at

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/3d-printed-solar-energy-trees/.

[Accessed 18 September 2015].

VTT, (2015). Solar power from energy-harvesting trees. Available at

http://www.vttresearch.com/media/news/solar-power-from-energy-harvesting-trees-%E2%80%93-watch-the-video. [Accessed 18 September 2015].

Written by: S

Last Edited: 15/10/2015 3:23 PM by S

Solar Power Business

Solar power industry is growing overtime due to variety of factors. The cost of solar-photovoltaic (PV) has dropped about 75% since 2009. Countries like Japan and China is currently pursuing solar energy aggressively. Along the value chain, competition between suppliers has been stiff and their operation and product has stabilised and standardised.  However, downstream companies still has the space to differentiate their companies as the customer demand is not well served. In this article, we are looking at customer segments to target and serve for downstream solar power suppliers. According to McKinsey & Company, there are five main customer segments to focus on.

Off-grid Areas

For rural areas that have no access to electric grids, solar power has an obvious advantage. Besides from rural villages, remote factories, mining sites or telecommunication towers can be the target customers. With decreasing costs, solar power is now a better option for customers, for example dark villages located in Africa and India. McKinsey & Company predicted by 2020 the demand of solar power from this segment will be 15-20 Gigawatts.

Residential and commercial retail customers in sunny areas

Residential and commercial segments have been finding way to cope with ever rising utility bills. On the other hand, companies are willing to choose environmental-friendly energy more than ever. Homeowners also perceive solar power adds value to their property and investments. In fact, a lot of businesses in developed country like United States and Italy have been generating their own power with solar power. A company should provide ways of low-cost financing for the customers to boost sales. McKinsey & Company predicted the demand of this segment reaches 150 to 250 Gigawatts by 2020. Residential and commercial retail customers in areas with moderate sun conditions but are charged with high retail electricity prices.

This segment is one of the biggest customer segments to target on. Regions with moderate sun conditions include Japan, Europe and Canada. Access to low-cost financing is also vital for this segment. Companies that already have a lot of customers, for example telecommunication companies, may enter the market because they can acquire customers at a much lower cost. McKinsey & Company predicted the demand of this segment reaches 65 to 120 Gigawatts by 2020.

Isolated Grids

Currently, isolated grids are mainly made up of diesel generators. Generally, these generators do not generate power that is higher than 100 Megawatts. Recently, some companies build an isolated grid hybrid, using both diesel and solar power. The demand in this segment is currently at 25 to 30 Gigawatts. As mentioned above, low-cost financing will be the main problem to reach customers.

Peak capacity in growth markets.

The gap to fill here is the need of new energy-power infrastructures in growth markets like in India and China. Countries that import a lot of liquefied natural gas like Japan can be a big customer. However, they may turn to lower cost alternatives like natural gas, but demand of solar power will still rise and reach at 150 to 170 Gigawatts by 2020.

New, large-scale power plants.

The potential of large scale power plants may be big, but cost gap between solar power and other alternatives such as coal and gas needs to be closed. Large scale power plants are hugely demanded in emerging markets. This segment is not taking up solar energy as quick as the other segments but the demand is still impressive. According to IHS, from 10 Megawatts in 2011 from all global installations, it is predicted to more than double in 2016 to reach approximately 25 Gigawatts.

Conclusion

There are a lot more ways to segment customers and business companies can target their own market with their expertise. For example, agricultural, government, and industrial can be attractive markets on their own. It is advisable for downstream solar power companies to differentiate themselves to gain competitive advantage.

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Value chain: The process or activities by which a company adds value to an article, including production, marketing, and the provision of after-sales service.
Downstream: In or toward the latter stages of a usually industrial process or the stages (as marketing) after manufacture.
Upstream: In or to a position within the production stream closer to manufacturing processes.
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References:
Aanesen, K., Heck, S. & Pinner, D. (2012). Solar power: Darkest before dawn. New York City: McKinsey & Company.
EuPD Research (2008). Trends in Market Segments: Towards More Solar Parks or Individual Installations? Frankfurt: EuPD Research.
The IHS Technology Solar Team (2015). Top Solar Power Industry Trends for 2015. Englewood: IHS Inc.

Written by: Yeap Weng Yeow
Editors: S

Disadvantages of using Solar Energy

The limitations and barriers faced when using Solar Energy.

1. Costs

The costs of initial purchasing and installing solar panels are rather high. It might take up to a decade or two to break-even ^[1] for the initial cost of the investment. The start-up capital required to harness solar energy may be too high for new entrants. However, in certain countries there are subsidy programs, tax initiatives and even rebate incentives given by their respective governments to promote the usage of clean energy systems. Not to mention, as technology advances solar panels will likely cost less and its efficiency will rise as well. Also, the usage of solar energy can be a starting step to reduce humanity's dependence on non-renewable energy.

2. Location and size 

Solar panels require large amounts of surface area in order to prove its functionalities. It is important for companies with limited space to fully utilize its capacity before picking up the solar energy system. No doubt, solar power stations can be built. However, they currently do not match the power output of conventional power stations of the same size. As mentioned, these power stations will also costs much more to build. As more electricity is required to be produced, the more panels will be needed. If there is a space limitation, the usage of solar energy will also be limited. The photovoltaic technology ^[2] in solar panels is still in its baby stages, thus large amounts of solar arrays are built to compensate for its inefficiencies. The solar panels also require a large mechanical oriental system to “follow” and turn towards the sun in order to achieve optimum absorption of sunlight at a certain angle. Also, batteries used to ensure a constant supply of electricity generated by solar panels also takes up a fair amount of space. Solar arrays that are often installed on roofs bring complications when there is a need to repair the building’s roof itself.

3. Pollution 

Solar cell panels are made up of photovoltaic semiconductor materials consisting of a variety of silicon and other toxic metals such as Mercury, Cadmium and Lead which could potentially bring harm to humans and the environment. Cadmium is harmless when it is sealed properly inside the solar panels. For example, solar panel manufacturer, Jinko Solar has faced protests and legal action due to one of its plants located in eastern province of Zhejiang, China being accused of disposing toxic waste into a nearby river. Thus, solar panels must be disposed with extreme care to prevent Cadmium leakage into the soils and waters which will result in Cadmium poisoning. Lead-acid batteries that are required by solar arrays contain both lead and sulfuric acid which are highly toxic especially towards marine creatures. Lead can also cause impairments in children. However, most of the materials in the batteries are recoverable if they were to be recycled properly. There are also usages of hazardous products during the process of manufacturing solar photovoltaics, which can indirectly affect the environment. Nevertheless, solar energy pollutes far less than other alternative energy sources.

4. Efficiency 

The most efficient solar cell available currently in the market converts only about 20% of sunlight into electricity. Since most of the sunlight is not harnessed, there will be a wastage which leads a decrease of efficiency in the solar panels. Also, environmental pollution can deteriorate the quality and efficiency of photovoltaic cells. However, new emerging and innovative technologies will manage to increase the rate of efficiency of solar panels and their resistance towards pollution.

Take the following article for example:

“Recently, SolarCity™ announced it will begin manufacturing the “world’s most efficient solar panels” at its factory in Buffalo, New York, starting in 2016. It claims it has designed a panel that converts 22.1% of sunlight into electricity. Now, less than a week later, Panasonic™ says it has trumped that achievement. A Panasonic™ solar panel has established a new world record module conversion efficiency of 22.5% on a commercial sized prototype using solar cells based on mass production technology. The test results were confirmed by the renowned Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. The 72-cell, 270-watt prototype incorporates newly developed enhanced technology that will eventually be scaled into volume production."

Taken from [http://cleantechnica.com/2015/10/09/panasonic-quickly-beats-solarcitys-solar-module-efficiency-record/]

Originally published on [http://solarlove.org/panasonic-solar-panel-trumps-solarcity-efficiency-record/]

5. Reliability 

Solar energy does not operate during the night period, unlike the other renewable energy sources. Consumers will have to depend on the conventional power grid to get electricity at night or purchase solar batteries which are used to store excess power harness during the day to be later utilized. These batteries are useful; however they need to be replaced from time to time which could be a hassle. Also, any factors that affect the absorption of sunlight by solar panels will deteriorate its function. Weather conditions such as cloudy, storms, hail, foggy, snowing and locations where panels are blocked by shadows, buildings, trees or even landscapes will reduce the effectiveness of the solar panels. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “The sunlight available for harness during foggy or cloudy conditions is approximately only ten percent of the value under clear sky (sunny) conditions." Thus, it is essential to optimize newer solar power technologies that perform better with higher reliability.

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^[1] Break-Even: Total costs (expenses) equals to total sales (revenue). Break-even point can be described as a point where there is no net profit or loss.

^[2] Photovoltaic (PV) technology: A method of converting solar energy into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect ^[2.1].

^[2.1] Photovoltaic effect: Link [http://sagansjr.blogspot.my/2015/10/solar-power.html]

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References:

AuditIT, (2011). Break-even point. Available at

http://www.readyratios.com/reference/analysis/break_even_point.html?PAGEN_2=2.

[Accessed on 13 October 2015].

GreenMatch.co.uk, (2014). How efficient are solar panels. Available at

http://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/07/how-efficient-are-solar-panels.

[Accessed on 13 October 2015].

GreenMatch.co.uk, (2014). 5 advantages and 5 disadvantages of solar energy. Available at

http://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-solar-energy. [Accessed on 13 October 2015].

Gromicko, N., (2015). Disadvantages of solar energy. Available at

http://www.nachi.org/disadvantages-solar-energy.htm. [Accessed 13 October 2015].

Nunez, C., (2014). How green are those solar panels really? Available at 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/11/141111-solar-panel-manufacturing sustainability-ranking/. [Accessed on 13 October 2015]

Rinkesh, K., (2015). Disadvantages of solar energy. Available at

http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Disadvantages_SolarEnergy.php.

[Accessed 13 October 2015].

Ryan, V., (2009). Advantages and disadvantages of solar power. Available at

http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/solar7.htm. [Accessed 13 October 2015].

 Pearce, J., (2002). Photovoltaics – A path to sustainable futures. Available at

http://www.academia.edu/1484565/Photovoltaics_a_path_to_sustainable_futures. [Accessed on 13 October 2015].

Written by: S

Last Edited: 12/11/2015 1:00 AM by S

Advantages of using Solar Power

How Solar Power Can Change Our Lives
 

Climate change is one of the biggest threats of our time and it is time to take action now. With that said, solar power has the potential to slow down global warming. Global warming has been a concern on most of the people's minds as the environment around us keeps getting warmer and warmer. The usage of coal, nuclear power and other natural sources to create energy has harmful effects on the environment overtime. However, solar power has led to the invention of the solar panel. Solar panels provide a solution for all of this as it can harness energy from the sun without harming the environment. There will not be any harmful greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as solar power will not create any pollution. With the added knowledge that solar power is a renewable energy source, companies should put in the effort to solve global warming by picking up solar energy.

Over the last decade, 43% of Fortune 500 companies have a target to cut down on their carbon footprint, reduce energy usage or operate a part of their activities with the help of renewable energy. Large companies are always finding practical ways to minimise cost and achieve their targets. As the price of solar power falls, companies are starting to recognise renewable energy as a feasible way to lessen their carbon footprint. This means that solar power could save you money. Recent study by NC Clean Energy Technology Center concluded that in the first year of installing the solar panels, America's 50 biggest cities saved an average of $44 to $187.  Though $44 and $187 may not seem like a lot of money saved, in 10 years’ time, investors would have saved $1000 if they had switched to solar panels. It is also important to note that the higher your electricity bill, the more you can save if you installed solar panels.



Figure 1: Number of job creation with an investment of $ 1 milion in different industries.

Furthermore, solar power can create more job opportunities per $1 million invested as compared to coal or natural gas. Thus, giving businesses an opportunity to venture into the renewable energy market. As coal and natural gas are the few non-renewable resources that are being used today to supply our energy needs, investing more money into solar would not only help solve an energy crisis but also help with the unemployment in a country.

There are plenty of other renewable resources that can help us solve our energy problems and be less reliant on coal and natural gas such as wind energy, biomass and hydro power.

Figure 2: Comparing finite and renewable planetary energy reserves (Terawatt per year).

As we can see from the picture above (Figure 2), solar power can produce more Terawatts per year than all the other energy sources combined. Even all our non-renewable resources could not produce more energy than what solar could potentially produce in a month.

In September, Goldman Sachs managing director and head of the environmental markets group, Kyung-Ah Park, said that the renewable energy industry has arrived at a turning point with more renewable energy systems installed this year than conventional systems. This benefits the suppliers as there is an increasing demand for renewable energy. This could create opportunities for suppliers of renewable energy around the world including other businesses connected to the value chain. Aanesen, Heck, and Pinner mentioned that annual installations of solar panels can increase 50 times more by 2020 in comparison with the demand in 2005

To energy companies, renewable energy sources are representative of an opportunity for them to undertake environmentally sustainable operations to focus on shareholders and other stakeholders. Not only that, solar panel prices are expected to continue to fall as the industry evolves even though subsidies are expected to diminish. This is due to manufacturing capacity doubling through the process of new developments of technologies, 3D printing and economies of scale. Over the next three to five years, fundamental costs are expected to drop by as much as 10 percent annually until 2020. This can be further explained by the graph in figure 3.

Figure 3 : The ways that industrialization can decrease the cost of solar-photovoltaic systems.

For consumers, they will not recognise the direct benefits from renewable energy. But if renewable energy is embraced on a wider scale, lessening the effects of global warming could be achieved. By adopting solar energy into their homes, consumers will help reduce the effects of greenhouse gases which would then influence a change in the climate to a less unpredictable and violent one if everyone was doing it. In addition to that, reducing the burning of fossil fuels by switching to solar energy would directly benefit the general public as people would benefit from cleaner air as a result of less emission from fossil fuels.

So the only question that remains is, why not solar?

The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.

– Ralph Nader

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References:

Shanan, Z., (2013). Advantages & disadvantages of solar power. Available at

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/10/08/advantages-disadvantages-solar-power/.

[Accessed 13 October 2015].

Perez, R. & Prezer, M., (2009). A fundamental look at energy reserves for the planet. Available at http://www.asrc.albany.edu/people/faculty/perez/Kit/pdf/a-fundamental look-at%20the-planetary-energy-reserves.pdf.

[Accessed 13 October 2015].

Solar Nation, 2015. Can switching to solar panels save me money. Available at

http://www.solar-nation.org/can-switching-to-solar-panels-save-me-money.

[Accessed 13 October 2015].

Aanesen, K., Heck, S. & Pinner, D., (2012). Solar power : Darkest before dawn. Available at https://www.mckinsey.com/client_service/sustainability/latest_thinking/~/media/5E847C563A734F148B5F3A6EFBD46E39.ashx. [Accessed 10  November 2015].

Fehrenbacher, K., (2015). Goldman Sachs to invest $150 billion in clean energy. Available at http://fortune.com/2015/11/02/goldman-sachs-clean-energy/. [Accessed 11 November 2015].

Mooney, C., (2015). Apple just announced dramatic new solar energy plans in China. Available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/10/21/apple-just-announced-dramatic-new-solar-plans-in-china/ [Accessed 11 November 2015].

Written by: Teh Hui Huang

Editors: Yeap Weng Yeow, S.