Well, it took me all day to get all my sites running today, there’s was a massive DoS attack by some hackers I had to take care of.

With that cleared away, here’s how to make some inexpensive solar cell panels.

Mike Davis is an astronomer. To practice his hobby away from the light-pollution of cities, he bought some land in a remote part of Arizona. But there was a problem: No electricity…. But he’s a resourceful fellow. He built some home-made solar panels using inexpensive blemished and damaged solar cells from eBay!

via treehugger

When it comes to building your own gadgets, nothing is better than a solar powered RC Car!

Of course, it only “charges” using solar cells, but this solar movement is helped greatly by DIYs like this.

Great job!

A rc car with two solar panels strapped up top for charging power. (Sorry no images) video coming soon. This is my first Instructable so be as honest as you can be

vi instructables

A PhD student in Australia has found a cheap way to make solar cells with household parts.  If this process works as well as thought-of, we might have solar cells popping up everywhere with DIYers who make their own solar cells.

An Australian PhD student has found a cheap way to make solar cells with nail polish, a pizza oven and an ink jet printer. 23-year-old Nicole Kuepper’s invention, named iJET, doesn’t require the pricey clean rooms and high-temperature ovens of traditional solar panel manufacturing plants, thus dramatically lowering the cost of solar and paving the road for introducing the technology to third-world countries.

via gizmodo

My dream has been always to own a medium-sized boat where I can travel the world or simply hang out with friends.  Here’s a couple solar powered boats that might be in your tight budget to help you accomplish that goal without spending millions.

Strange constructions with unwieldy glass panels are things of the past. The user can now enjoy plenty of space nor with a very modern design.
We even feature new, accessible solar cells.

via keetsa

More info on solar powered boats:

World’s biggest solar powered boats

Solar Powered boats supplemented with pedals

Great concept, but where are the solar cells?

Continue reading ‘Concept Solar Powered CellPhone!’

Here’s a great idea for schools.  It’s a solar shade veil that would generate power for the schools while providing shade for the students and teachers.

Why didn’t we think of this earlier like 10 years ago?

An Australian government funded initiative, the VEIL solar-shade is a future possibility for the integration of solar-energy harvesting technologies into a form that is pragmatic (providing shade & energy), evocative and educational.

The idea is very simple: instead of having simple canopies outside the school to protect the kids from the heat of the sun, with one small tweak they can be used for collecting sun’s energy at the same time. Adding solar cells on top and handles on the base that can rotate the canopy to get the most efficient orientation in relation to the sun, these canopies can provide at the same time shade and energy.

[via engadget - inhabitat - uglydoggy]

The Czeers MK1 solar speed boat runs completely on solar power, total of 14 square meters photovoltaic solar cells mounted on all of its top surface.

The solar speed boat is supposedly world’s first solar powered speedboat.

Czeers MK1 comes built with carbon fiber everywhere for light weight and durability.

The boat’s top speed?

The MK1 can go up to 30 knots, an amazing feat for a boat completely powered by the sun with no CO2 gas or any other pollution-causing fumes.

The Czeers MK1 prototype is, as far as its Dutch creators are concerned, the world’s first solar speedboat. The Delft Technical University Solarboat Team built the original platform as an entry in the 2006 Nuon Frisian Solar challenge, which it easily won - and in the process, attracted serious investment power from Rabobank to get a full scale test boat built.

[via gizmodo gizmag]

Video after the jump.

Continue reading ‘Czeers MK1 Solar Speed Boat’