List of All Articles with Tag 'tech'

By Elizabeth Howcroft LONDON HSBC plans to launch in 2024 a custody service for storing blockchain-based assets excluding

Researchers have made a breakthrough with a so-called miracle material to break the efficiency record for solar panel electricity generation. A team from the Chinese solar technology firm Longi set a new world record of 33.9 per cent for a silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell, breaking the previous record set in May this year by King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. The new efficiency record also broke the theoretical limit of 33.7 per cent for the first time of standard single junction cells, which are found in commercial solar panels. “This provides meaningful empirical data to demonstrate the advantage of crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells over crystalline silicon single junction solar cells in terms of efficiency,” the company noted in a statement. “The emergence of crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem technology has opened up a new track for the development of next-generation high-efficiency solar cell technology. This means that the same area, absorbing the same light, can emit more electricity.” The theoretical efficiency limit of silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells is 43 per cent, however this level is unlikely to ever be realised on a commercial scale. The first production of ultra-efficient perovskite solar panels could begin in China, with researchers from Nanjing University saying earlier this year that a design breakthrough has made mass production possible. According to the researchers, the next-generation panels will be 50 per cent cheaper and 50 per cent more efficient than traditional silicon cells, however the efficiency rates will still be a long way off the levels achieved in the lab. UK startup Oxford PV, which is a spin-out from the University of Oxford, is already in the process of commercialising the technology, with hopes of beginning full-scale production at a German facility later this year. “Current silicon solar panels have reached their physical limits. We’ve got a way to transform the efficiency of these solar cells with perovskite,” Chris Case, Oxford PV’s chief technology officer, told The Independent in August. “The biggest challenge by far is durability and reliability. We already have great efficiency – much greater than current silicon cells – so most of our research and development is spent enhancing reliability, not efficiency.” Perovskite has been hailed as a “miracle material” for its potential to revolutionise everything from high-speed telecommunications to renewable energy technologies. Its potential for solar panels is not limited to the efficiency gains compared to traditional silicon cells, but also new ways of using them. Recent breakthroughs include self-healing solar panels that can maintain their efficiency for tens to hundreds of years, as well as double-sided solar panels capable of generating electricity from the Sun’s energy on both sides. The material could also be used in applications ranging from building-integrated solar panels to space-based electricity generation. Read More How tech could turn our homes into renewable energy power stations Hundreds of years after it was discovered, one material is about to change the world Millions could abandon electrical grid with new solar panel advance Millions of Australians left without mobile and internet network after Optus outage Guidance urges parents not to buy smartphones for primary school children

By David Shepardson Cruise is recalling 950 driverless cars from the roads across the United States and may

By Samrhitha A (Reuters) -Fortinet sank nearly 18% and sparked a selloff in cybersecurity stocks with a dismal forecast that

By Sam Nussey TOKYO Nintendo made a pitch for the ongoing match fitness of its aging Switch console

TOKYO Nintendo said on Wednesday it will develop a live-action film of long running franchise "The Legend of

By Renju Jose SYDNEY Australian No. 2 telco Optus on Wednesday reported an outage across its mobile phone

Google cut the amount of money it paid to Verizon Communications Inc. to be the default search engine

EBay Inc. issued a bleak revenue outlook for the busy holiday quarter, suggesting the company continues to struggle

(Reuters) -Bumble forecast fourth-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates on Tuesday, in a sign that sticky inflation and growing competition

New guidance urging parents not to buy smartphones for their primary school age children has been introduced The Cabinet has approved a memo outlining the proposal which was brought by education minister Norma Foley. The new guidance is available online and will be sent to all primary schools in the country. The aim is to support parents of primary school children who wish to agree collectively on a voluntary agreement on the use of smartphones for their primary school age children. It is based on a project involving eight schools in Greystones in Co Wicklow that saw parents of primary school pupils collectively agree not to buy smartphones for them. Ms Foley’s plan was prompted by concerns around the potential exposure of younger children to cyber bullying, violent and sexual content and other harmful content on phones. The minister said that there were clear benefits to owning a smartphone but the risks they posed to children had to be managed. Ms Foley said: “Principals tell me that online bullying using smartphones happens outside school hours. “They can’t control it. It happens outside of school. “Children can be exposed to violence and sexual content that no parent would want them to see via their smartphone.” The minister’s party leader, Tanaiste Micheal Martin, used his speech at the Fianna Fail ard fheis on Saturday to flag the move. He told party members why he felt it was important to limit children’s exposures to smartphones. “One of the greatest challenges of today is helping children to navigate an online world, one which brings new threats and affects the ability to maintain healthy connections,” he said. “That is why we will be expanding guidelines and controls on smartphone access in schools – and every family and school will receive guidance on how to navigate this challenge with their children to keep them safe and healthy.” Read More William ‘blown away’ by futuristic technology from Singapore start-ups Return of original Fortnite map causes record traffic on Virgin Media O2 network NatWest creates new AI-powered chatbot capable of ‘human-like’ conversations Succession star Sarah Snook says AI use in film industry needs ‘stringent rules’ Sir Paul McCartney: It was magical to feel like I was reuniting with John Lennon Sexist comments on TikTok ‘more liked’ than non-sexist ones – study

By Katie Paul NEW YORK A former Meta employee is testifying before a U.S. Senate subcommittee on Tuesday,