The German organic photovoltaics supplier Heliatek GmbH has teamed up with Kandil Steel to realise its first building-integrated organic photovoltaic (BIOPV) pilot project in Africa. HeliaFilm, Heliatek’s organic solar film, is at the core of this installation in Egypt, which represents a first test project for further steel applications by Kandil Steel.
Scientists from South Korea have made ultra-thin photovoltaics flexible enough to wrap around the average pencil. The bendy solar cells could power wearable electronics like fitness trackers and smart glasses. Thin materials flex more easily than thick ones – think a piece of paper versus a cardboard shipping box. The reason for the difference: The stress in a material while it is being bent increases farther out from the central plane. Because thick sheets have more material farther out, they are harder to bend.
Thin Film Electronics, which is based in Oslo, Norway, a global leader in printed electronics and smart systems, has announced a parternship with Hopsy, the USA’s first local craft beer marketplace and delivery service. The two companies will collaborate to integrate Thinfilm’s NFC OpenSense technology into a variety of locally produced craft beers across the United States. The wireless NFC tags will enable microbreweries to engage with consumers, educate, and differentiate their respective brands.
