By adding single atom-thick layer of graphene, scientists have enabled solar panels to to generate electricity from raindrops, making it possible to generate power, rain or shine.

This new solar cell prototype developed by a team of scientists in Qingdao, China , helps create optimal outputs in a fresh variety of weather conditions, by adding a light coating of graphene, a highly-conductive substance that allows free movement of electrons.

When water is present, graphene binds its electrons with positively charged ions in a process known as the Lewis acid-base interaction. The salt contained in the rain separated ions of ammonia, calcium and sodium. “The water actually clings to the graphene, forming a dual layer (AKA pseudocapacitor) with the graphene electrons. The energy difference between these layers is so strong that it generates electricity.”

“These new solar cells can be stimulated by incident light on sunny days and raindrops when it’s raining, yielding an optimal energy conversion efficiency of 6.53 % under 1.5 atmosphere thickness irradiation and current over µA, along with a voltage of hundreds of mV by simulated raindrops.”

Atoms like to bond to each other. In order to keep a layer only one atom thick, you need to prevent bonds from being made in the upwards direction. Graphene is exceptional in part because it has a natural 2D bond structure, meaning the top of one layer has no inclination to bind to the bottom of another.

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Location-independent, portable and scalable, this novel approach to agriculture applies principles already used in cloud computing and other high-tech services to the growing of everyday essentials, effectively tucking a 1-acre farm into a 350-square-foot box.

Each Freight Farm container has space for 4,500 plants, stacked and ready to grow: “Built entirely inside a 40’ x 8’ x 9.5’ shipping container, freight farms are outfitted with all the tools needed for high-volume, consistent harvests. With innovative climate technology and growing equipment, the perfect environment is achievable 365 days a year, regardless of geographic location.” The units can also be moved to market to sell directly, carried easily (just like any cargo container) on the back of a standard truck.

Constant monitoring of temperature, CO2, pH and other essential data means instant feedback and easy remote adjustments as well, while a built-in 4G hotspot lets these farms stay connected from anywhere in the world. Optimized LEDs allow for maximum growth and minimum energy. Modular and stackable, farmers can order more units delivered on demand and expand their operations as needed.

Someone new to the game can also start out small: “Designed to be easily implemented and operated, The LGM is a complete farming system delivered ready-to-use for immediate crop production. The modular and stackable design makes it easy to integrate into any operation and add farms to scale quickly. Every LGM comes equipped to handle every aspect of commercial production, from seed to harvest.”

Cargo containers for non-standard purposes are nothing new, but this goes more than a step beyond turning shipping containers into homes or offices. More on the ecosystem: “Vertical hydroponic system for mature plant growth.  The vertical towers create a high density growing environment with four rows providing space for over 4,500 plants.  Drip irrigation, nutrient delivery system and spectrum focused lighting supports climate conditions to maximize plant development.”

The post Freight Farms: Shipping Containers as Mobile Farming Units first appeared on Gajitz.

Paperspace is a full computer you can access from any browser that aims to put your entire device on the cloud, not just a few files here and there. Its partner device Paperweight, meanwhile, is a tiny replacement for your whole home laptop or office desktop setup – computing sans computer.

Allowing you to completely customize your device just like an ordinary computer, this approach gives users access to complete, powerful and up-to-date machine; it is poised to change our entire framework for thinking about hardware and obsolescence.

If anything, this approach may be ahead of its time – connection speed can still be a limiting factor. However, as access gets better and speeds continue to increase, this will only become a more and more tempting alternative to how we currently think about computer ownership. Virtual machines and cloud computing have already infiltrated office spaces, but this is the first serious attempt to make similar options cheap and available to a mass audience of ordinary users.

Having just graduated from YCombinator’s Startup School, Paperspace is just starting to take off and Paperweight is still in the pre-order phase. More from their makers: “Unlike regular computers that are clunky pieces of hardware, a Paperspace computer lives in the cloud. It’s a powerful computer for a low monthly fee. From now on, you no longer have to buy new, expensive hardware to access a computer with more speed and storage space. It’s fast, always updated and constantly backed up.”

The post Computer Killer: Virtual PC for Full Cloud-Based Computing first appeared on Gajitz.

A company in Germany is offering a win-win solution for any home or office with some spare square footage in their basement: put servers in place and reap radiant heat as well as hot water from them – in some plans, users also get free internet and electricity as a bonus.

Cloud&Heat is one of a number of European companies in the market to trade space for green power, effectively transforming unused everyday spaces into a cloud-like alternative to all-in-one-place data centers, but one of the most advanced at this stage.

Buffering systems are used to store heat so it can be deployed more strategically over time while venting systems are also added to shed excess heat when it is not needed – during summer months, for instance.

There can be additional upfront costs for the user, like creating a fire-safe enclosure for the server systems, but like solar or wind power the initial costs are ultimately offset by heat gain and energy savings overall.

The post Swap Space for Energy: Free Water & Heat from the Cloud first appeared on Gajitz.