HyperSolar Discovers Method to Make Renewable Natural Gas Using Solar Power

Company’s breakthrough technology uses sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to produce, clean, renewable natural gas

SANTA BARBARA, CA – November 15, 2011 – HyperSolar, Inc. (OTCBB:HYSR), the developer of a breakthrough technology to make renewable natural gas using solar power, today announced that it has filed a patent application for the production of renewable natural gas using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. This renewable natural gas is a clean, carbon neutral methane gas that can be used as a direct replacement for traditional natural gas to power the world, without drilling or fracking, while mitigating CO2 emissions.

“The sun is our greatest source of energy and a method to use this energy to make clean, renewable fuel is a very significant discovery,” said Tim Young, CEO of HyperSolar. “We intend to focus all our energies and resources on commercializing this breakthrough technology.”

Inspired by the photosynthetic processes that plants use to harness the power of the sun to create energy molecules, HyperSolar is developing a novel solar-powered nanoparticle system that mimics photosynthesis to separate hydrogen from water. The free hydrogen can then be reacted with carbon dioxide to produce methane, the primary component in natural gas.

“With global consumption projected to surpass coal in 2035, natural gas will be the next great fuel,” continued Mr. Young. “From sunrise to sunset, our proprietary nanoparticles will work in a water based solution to produce clean and environmentally friendly renewable natural gas that can be collected for later use in power plants, industrial plants and vehicles – anywhere and anytime. With hundreds of billions of dollars already invested in natural gas infrastructure and trillions more dollars on the way, we believe natural gas as a primary fuel is a reality. However, the environmental risks associated with the extraction and usage of conventional natural gas is also a reality.”

Using advanced nanotechnology, HyperSolar intends to eliminate the harmful aspects of extracting natural gas and preserve its existing delivery infrastructure and economy by fundamentally changing the source of natural gas from underground to above ground. The company intends to do this by creating natural gas above ground using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide, in a renewable and sustainable manner.

About HyperSolar, Inc.
HyperSolar is developing a breakthrough technology to make renewable natural gas using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. This renewable natural gas is a clean, carbon neutral methane gas that can be used as a direct replacement for traditional natural gas to power the world, without drilling or fracking, while mitigating CO2 emissions. Inspired by the photosynthetic processes that plants use to effortlessly harness the power of the Sun to create energy molecules, we are developing a novel solar-powered nanoparticle system that mimics photosynthesis to separate hydrogen from water. The free hydrogen can then be reacted with carbon dioxide to produce methane. From sunrise to sunset, our proprietary nanoparticles will work in a water based solution to produce clean and environmentally friendly renewable natural gas that can be collected for use in power plants, industrial plants and vehicles – anywhere and anytime. To learn more about HyperSolar, please visit our website at http://www.HyperSolar.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “may,” “intend,” “expect” and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein, and while expected, there is no guarantee that we will attain the aforementioned anticipated developmental milestones. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product, and distributor performance, the impact on the national and local economies resulting from terrorist actions, and U.S. actions subsequently; and other factors detailed in reports filed by the Company.

SiOnyx Solar Achieves Record Results for Black Silicon Solar Cells

Beverly, Mass. – October 25, 2011 – SiOnyx, Inc today announced that its patented ultrafast laser texturing technology known as Black Silicon has achieved a 0.3% (absolute) efficiency boost over industry-standard baseline solar cells.  The SiOnyx 156 mm multicrystalline silicon cells, made in collaboration with German research institute ISC Konstanz, achieved average absolute efficiencies of over 17%.

Importantly, SiOnyx Black Silicon boosts efficiency in thinner wafers, vital for reducing the cost of silicon-based solar cells.  Average efficiencies of 16.9% were achieved for 150-micron thick multicrystalline cells that are 20% thinner than wafers in production today and represent a cost reduction of 10-15%.  All cells were processed and tested at ISC Konstanz using a standard emitter, screen-printed metal, and aluminum back surface field.  Black Silicon texturing was performed using a Coherent AethonTM tool with a TaliskerTM picosecond laser.

Additionally, the SiOnyx process results in a significant improvement in process uniformity.  Standard deviations for cell efficiency and current are reduced by a factor of two using SiOnyx’s Black Silicon, resulting in further cost reductions through improved process yield and tighter efficiency binning.

“These results are further validation of the Black Silicon process and its ability to improve the economics of mainstream solar energy – and the technology is ready now,” commented Stephen Saylor, President and CEO of SiOnyx.  “SiOnyx’s single-sided texture achieves significantly lower surface reflectance than industry-standard isotexture to improve cell performance. We boost infrared performance, thus making SiOnyx Black Silicon a great complement to existing selective emitter technologies.”

SiOnyx Black Silicon is a drop-in solution for the majority of solar cell lines using industry standard isotexture and is critical in supporting roadmap architectures requiring a planar back surface for dielectric passivation.  SiOnyx Black Silicon is completely independent of grain orientation and therefore ideal for all wafer types including multicrystalline. By decoupling the saw damage removal and surface texturing steps, the SiOnyx process is the perfect solution for manufacturers seeking to improve both the price and performance of existing lines while establishing a roadmap for next-generation cells using backside passivation with local contacts.

For additional product and licensing information please contact SiOnyx Solar at solarbizdev@sionyx.com

About SiOnyx
SiOnyx (www.sionyx.com) is commercializing a patented semiconductor process known as Black Silicon that dramatically enhances the infrared sensitivity of silicon-based photonics. As a result, SiOnyx’s Black Silicon platform represents a significant breakthrough in the development of smaller, cheaper, higher performance photonic devices. SiOnyx Solar is focused on next generation photovoltaic applications. SiOnyx Imaging is developing advanced digital imaging solutions for consumer, industrial, medical, and defense applications. Additional information about SiOnyx Solar is available at www.sionyx.com/solar.

Missouri: A New Day Dawning in Solar Energy Advancements

By Christopher Chung

When you think of solar energy in the U.S., Missouri may not be the first place that comes to mind. But a new study by Professor Matt Croucher of Arizona State University has put Missouri among the top states for solar power generation.

It’s a matter of resources – and resourcefulness. Missouri is in a great place for solar, with more than 200 sunny days on average per year and solar resources ranging from 4.5 to 5.0 kilowatt-hours per square meter per day. That number puts Missouri higher than Germany, the country that leads the world in solar energy production.

Missouri also has the sixth lowest cost-per-watt for solar installation and better than average opportunities for job creation in the industry. But the thing that really tips the scales in the state’s favor is the fact that demand for solar power is high.

Solar initiatives are more than just environmental obligations for the state of Missouri. They are also engines for economic growth. In the past few years Missouri has aggressively implemented programs requiring utility companies to increase their renewable energy portfolios. In 2008, the state’s citizens overwhelmingly approved a measure calling for 15 percent of Missouri’s electricity to originate from clean energy sources by 2021. The measure included a two percent solar carve-out (or 190,000 megawatt hours.) Missouri was one of only 16 states to adopt such a provision.

In 2009, the state formed the Missouri Solar Energy Industry Association (MOSEIA) with the goal of increasing market growth for solar in the state. MOSEIA works to protect the regulatory language for enhancing Missouri’s solar initiatives and for passing subsequent legislation.

Missouri also offers numerous government loans and incentives for solar energy. The state’s Linked Deposit Loan Program – along with Property Assessed Clean Energy loans for commercial developments – helps promote the creation and retention of solar energy jobs. Solar rebates and federal investment tax credits strengthen Missouri’s foothold as a solar energy state.

Aside from legislation, Missouri also has one of the best business climates in the nation, making it an ideal location for solar start-ups. The state ranks third for low business costs and has the fifth best corporate income tax index in the U.S. A central location helps support Missouri’s thriving manufacturing industry, with 52 percent of all manufacturing establishments located within a single day’s drive. The state’s top ten transportation network is a terrific asset for industries – like solar – which depend on low-cost shipping to stay profitable.

But workforce is continually cited as the state’s most important asset. And, with a work force of over 3 million, Missouri has the numbers to support solar production on a large scale. A recent report from the Brookings Institution ranked Missouri 6th for solar photovoltaic jobs in 2010 and 8th for degree of solar photovoltaic job specialization. The state also placed 8th for growth in solar thermal jobs from 2003-2010, a fact that is drawing attention from companies in the industry:

• Milbank Manufacturing recently announced plans for new production lines in Kansas City, Mo. where renewable energy products – including solar components – will be made. The $2.7 million expansion is expected to create 57 new jobs.

• Solutia, a world-leading provider of critical components for use in the solar energy market is headquartered in St. Louis. Solutia produces encapsulants for solar modules, heat transfer fluids for concentrated solar power plants and PV film coatings.

• Dow Chemical is currently developing a solar park in conjunction with the city of Columbia. It will be the largest solar production site in the state of Missouri.

The Columbia project will join a number of solar arrays across the state. Emerson Electric, headquartered in St. Louis, recently built a new data center powered by more than 550 solar panels. At peak output, the array meets about 16 percent of the center’s energy requirements.

Kansas City Power & Light has announced plans to install rooftop solar technology at selected commercial buildings, government facilities and residences as part of its SmartGrid demonstration, made possible by a $24 million grant from the Department of Energy.

Recently, the St. Louis Housing Authority, along with Sunwheel Energy Partners, began the final phase of a $10.4 million solar installation. Using more than 2,000 solar panels, the project will create enough electricity to power more than 70 homes for a year. The expected reduction in carbon dioxide emissions will be equivalent to removing 170 cars from the road.

None of these projects would be possible, were it not for new energy research coming out of Missouri’s colleges and universities. At the University of Missouri – Columbia (MU), Professor Patrick Pinhero, Ph.D., recently developed a flexible solar sheet that captures 95 percent of available light – that’s nearly five times the efficiency of traditional panels. Pinhero is looking to commercialize his technology within the next five years.

MU also collaborated with Missouri Science and Technology University (Missouri S&T) in Rolla to build a solar house which placed 11th in the recent Solar Decatholon in Washington D.C. The house joins three previous entries to make up S&T’s “Solar Village,” a community of solar-powered homes available for rent by students and faculty. The school recently won a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for research in solar energy and energy management, which will allow students to use hybrid solar thermal electric panels (STEPS) in their house design.

These advances in research and production breed a certain optimism for Missouri’s solar industry, and companies are beginning to take notice. Solar is no longer a “someday” concept. It’s happening right now in Missouri.

Christopher Chung is Chief Executive Officer of Missouri Partnership, a public private non-profit corporation working closely with the Missouri Department of Economic Development and regional and local economic development organizations around the state.

For more information visit: www.missouripartnership.com

Tangent Energy brings clean energy solution to Yuasa Battery, Inc.

Reading, PA (October 11, 2011) Tangent Energy Solutions today announced the completion of a 240 kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar array at Yuasa Battery, Inc.’s manufacturing facility in Laureldale, PA.

The system generates 299,438 kilowatt hours (kWh) of power, and over the 20 year term of the agreement Tangent estimates it will save Yuasa more than $300k in energy costs. Environmentally, the system eliminates 455,209 lbs of CO2 emissions – about the same as removing 40 cars per year from the roads.

Yuasa Battery, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of its ultimate parent GS Yuasa, and Yuasa Brand motorcycle batteries have been manufactured to uncompromising standards in the United States since 1979. GS Yuasa Corporation and its affiliates are committed to managing the environmental impact of products throughout their lifecycle on a global basis. This solar installation is another example of Yuasa Battery, Inc’s commitment to environmental responsibility that will reduce the carbon footprint of the energy used in producing its Powersports batteries.

Tangent saves commercial and industrial companies 20% on energy costs, by combining technology and clean on-site generation assets to balance supply and demand in response to grid pricing conditions and facility energy needs. Generation assets are provided at no capital cost, and the energy produced is sold to customers at a discount to retail rates through a long-term Power Purchase Agreement.

We’re very excited to be working with Yuasa, to supply their manufacturing facility with a clean generation source, and the latest energy efficiency technologies,” said Dean Musser, President and CEO of Tangent Energy. “As conditions on the energy grid become more complex, it’s important to have forward-thinking companies like Yuasa. They serve as a model for others on how to become active participants in the energy market.”

The project was financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority.

About Tangent Energy Solutions
Tangent Energy Solutions reverses the traditional utility driven approach to developing the smart grid by partnering with commercial and industrial customers to optimize the “grid behind the meter.” By providing clean energy assets and technologies at no capital cost, Tangent saves C&I energy customers 10 percent to 20 percent while increasing the amount of renewable content in their supply. Tangent actively manages on-site, assets to decrease a customer’s reliance on grid sourced energy, especially during peak demand periods. As a result both the end-customer and the utilities benefit. Tangent is a venture-backed company founded in 2009 by a management team that has been providing commercially successful energy innovations to mainstream C&I customers for 30 years.

About Yuasa Battery, Inc.
Yuasa Battery, Inc. is the largest American manufacturer and the largest distributor of batteries for motorcycles, snowmobiles, scooters, all-terrain vehicles, and personal watercraft. Most of the large capacity Powersport batteries are manufactured in the Laureldale, PA plant. All other Powersport batteries are produced in a Yuasa state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in various countries throughout the world. Each Yuasa facility follows the same rigorous manufacturing processes to insure the highest Yuasa quality standards are met. Additionally, Yuasa distributes the Yuasa brand (original and true) NP Series batteries, a sought after power source for security and alarm systems, UPS Systems, emergency lighting, CCTV’s and electronic applications.

University of Maryland Finishes in First Place Overall & Appalachian State Wins People’s Choice Award at DOE Solar Decathlon 2011

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 concluded this weekend on the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. Approximately 4,000 collegiate students from five countries on four continents invested countless hours of time and tireless effort to participate in this prestigious, clean energy competition. In spite of the cloudy and rainy weather during a majority of the contest days, seven out of the 19 highly energy efficient solar-powered houses designed by the student competitors still produced more energy than they consumed. Additionally, student team members led more than 357,000 tours to share the energy-saving features of their houses with the public. In the end, the University of Maryland was crowned the overall winner. At Saturday evening’s Victory Reception, Appalachian State University won the People’s Choice Award for the public’s favorite Solar Decathlon house, a poll in which more than 92,000 votes were cast by visitors, fans and consumers.

The Solar Decathlon is an award-winning competition that challenges collegiate teams from around the world to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, highly energy efficient, attractive, and easy to live in. The 2011 teams and their houses represented a broad range of design solutions, geographic locations and climates, and were targeted toward urban, suburban and rural settings. The houses were intended for different housing markets, including lower-income, disaster relief, retirement, and single family.

“The Solar Decathlon’s impact is threefold,” said Richard King, director of the Solar Decathlon for the U.S. Department of Energy. “Over the last two years, the student competitors have received unique training that prepares them to enter our nation’s clean energy workforce. Visitors and consumers learned firsthand that affordable, energy-efficient features in these innovative houses can help them save money today. And this year’s competition houses will become teaching tools for industry professionals and students around the world.”

The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. The top three overall finishers of the Solar Decathlon 2011 were the University of Maryland, Purdue University, and New Zealand (Victoria University of Wellington). The complete list of final results and team scores may be found at www.SolarDecathlon.gov.

University of Maryland Wins Architecture Contest at U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011

(Credit: Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy)

Washinton, DC (9/28/11) – Announced today before an enthusiastic crowd at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, the University of Maryland took first place in the highly competitive Architecture Contest of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011. For the Architecture Contest, collegiate students from around the world are judged on the design and construction of attractive, high-performance houses that integrate renewable energy systems and energy-efficient technologies. Dennis Andrejko, representing the American Institute of Architects, presented the award in front of an audience that included government leaders and Solar Decathlon student team members.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 is an award-winning program that challenges collegiate students from around the world to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, highly energy efficient, attractive, and easy to live in. The competition shows consumers how to save money and energy with affordable clean energy products that are available today. The nearly two-year projects culminate in an unprecedented display of affordable green living and design on the National Mall’s West Potomac Park from September 23 – October 2, 2011. The Solar Decathlon also provides participating students with hands-on experience and unique training that prepares them to enter our nation’s clean energy workforce, supporting the Obama Administration’s goal of transitioning to a clean energy economy while saving families and businesses money.

Un-Analytics: How Google Went Solar

by Dan Auld

September 8, 2011 -  Google loves talking about world before analytics — when web owners knew almost nothing about their sites.

Nothing useful, anyway.

That all changed when a new technology came along that allowed web owners to monitor their sites as much as they wanted. Any time they wanted.

Web sites suddenly became a business proposition, not just an enthusiasm for a few hobbyists.

Flash forward from the introduction of Google Analytics up to 2007, when Google got into the solar business and opened a 1.65 megawatt photovoltaic power array. The largest commercial system in the world at the time.

Just like web sites before Analytics, Google would soon learn how little it actually knew about its solar array.

After its panels were up for 15 months, Google cleaned them and documented its efforts in a report called “Getting the most energy out of Google’s solar panels.”

On several sections of its array, solar energy output doubled after the cleaning. Eight months later, energy output went up 37 percent after another cleaning. But here comes the money graph:

It would be difficult to detect manufacturer defects or accidental damage by data analysis alone, unless the damage impacts >~20% of the solar panels in that building.

Example: There have been few occasions when some of the solar panels … were damaged by delivery trucks accidentally hitting the support beams that hold up the solar panels.

Since these accidents did not damage a sizable portion of the solar panels, the damage went undetected for a while.

Losing 50 percent of your power is real money, even for Google.

“Just like the web prior to Analytics, Google had to admit it really did not know what was happening in its array — because it had no way to monitor when good panels went bad,” said Mark Yarbrourgh, a city councilman in Perris, California who pioneered the use of solar in public buildings. “But neither does anyone else. Arrays malfunction and no one knows because they do not use monitors at the panel level.”

Undetected, solar panels go bad in all sorts of ways. Panels degrade anywhere from .5% to 9.5% a year, depending on the manufacturer, says Sandia Laboratories in a study for the Department of Energy.

How will you know what your panels will do? Warranty Week Magazine says you won’t. Not really:

“ And yes, it really is guesswork.”

Dirt plays even more havoc. If not dirt, a bird dropping, or a baseball, or a golfball, or a rock, or a squirrel chewing a wire, or a Texas oak thick with pollen, or heat on the roof, or poor soldering. Or a shadow — all worse than you think, says the National Renewable Energy Laboratories:

“ The reduction in power from shading half of one cell is equivalent to removing a cell active area 36 times the shadow’s actual size.”

“One bird, one truck of dirt, one flowering tree can destroy your solar production, and you would not know for a long time,” Yarbrough said. “Welcome to the Christmas Tree Effect: Hurt the panel a little, hurt production a lot. It is amazing how many people put up solar for great reasons, but really do not watch their systems. As a result, a lot of people lose a lot of money because many, many systems are not producing the power its owners were promised. And few know.”

Maybe because knowing it is not that useful.

“If your solar array produces a megawatt of power, that means it is composed of 3000 to 5000 panels,” said Ray Burgess, CEO of Solar Power Technologies. “If some panels go bad, you need panel level monitoring to find the bad panels. But most systems monitor power at the system level, but as Google found out, that is that useful for detecting catastrophic failure, but not much else.”

Thus the need for small wireless monitors throughout the array.

“Now that we have cost effective monitors from a company in Austin, that is going to change the world, just like Google Analytics.”

Leading the solar monitor business is Burgess and Solar Power Technologies of Austin, Texas. The company is introducing monitors and other devices to give solar array owners unprecedented control over their panels. If you have 3500 panels and a few start breaking, you better have something better than “guesswork” to optimize your array.

“As we travel the country talking to panel owners about their systems, we are constantly amazed at how many systems that are producing power far below their capacity, and some not producing power at all. Monitors on the panels can change that and let you know what is really happening with your system. And where it is happening. Saving system owners thousands of dollars a month.”

Just like Google Analytics.