Cleantech Update

JERUSALEM, July 9 (Reuters) - It may take a little bit of colour to create cheaper solar energy. Israeli start-up 3GSolar says it has developed the world's first commercial-size solar energy system that uses coloured dyes to turn sunlight into electricity. The technology emerged from a relatively new field in solar energy that uses simple organic dyes instead of rare or costly materials, like silicon, which scare many consumers away from solar power. Energy companies have been struggling for years to make dye-sensitised solar cells (DSC) large enough to be used in commercial-size systems. Such next generation cells could be used in cutting-edge applications, like windows that turn passing sun rays into electricity. Japanese electronics conglomerate Sony Corp ( 6758.T ) said last year it had developed dye-sensitised cells with an energy conversion efficiency of 10 percent, a level seen necessary for commercial use, but that its technology was still in the research and development s...

Australia-based Eden Energy has sold all the shares in its two US subsidiary companies including Eden Hydrogen, the parent company of HyRadix. Eden had acquired US-based HyRadix , a company specialising in on-site autothermal reforming systems for the production of hydrogen from methane or LPG, in 2007. The sale to an unnamed Australian company did not include any of the assets or liabilities of Hythane Company, which Eden set up in 2004. Hythane is a mix of hydrogen and natural gas. The sale also did not include Eden’s wholly owned Indian subsidiary, Eden Energy (India) Private Limited, which will continue to actively market the Hythane and dual fuel technology in India. The purchaser has agreed to supply to Eden and install in India, free of charge, the first HyRadix Aptus 100 hydrogen reformer which is currently being built in India and which is hoped to occur before the end of March 2009. This reformer is planned to be used by Hythane Company to supply hydrogen to the first Hytha...