{"video_id":"vdOxzI02nf0","title":"Solar Energy As Fast As Possible","channel":"Techquickie","show":"Techquickie","published_at":"2016-05-06T14:58:16Z","duration_s":348,"segments":[{"start_s":0.16,"end_s":6.72,"text":"Have you ever gotten a brand new gadget like some super awesome computer and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":4.96,"end_s":12.08,"text":"powered it on for the first time with that satisfying noise? No, the other","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":9.76,"end_s":18.48,"text":"noise that's better. And thought to yourself, why is it that we are using","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":15.92,"end_s":24.08,"text":"electricity produced by, you know, power plants that are burning coal or nuclear","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":21.279,"end_s":29.199,"text":"fishision reactors? What about the most abundant source of energy on the planet,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":26.8,"end_s":33.52,"text":"sunlight? Well, me too. And that's what this video is about. Sunlight is","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":31.599,"end_s":39.36,"text":"literally everywhere and keeps everything on Earth alive in one way or","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":36.64,"end_s":43.2,"text":"another. So it raises the question, so why has so little of our energy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":41.2,"end_s":47.52,"text":"production been from solar technology until recently? And what are the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":45.2,"end_s":53.039,"text":"advancements that are making solar useful for so much more than calculators","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":50.559,"end_s":57.12,"text":"and those funnyl looking cars? Well, first it helps to know a little","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":54.559,"end_s":62.879,"text":"something about how we actually convert sunlight into electricity. One way is","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":60.16,"end_s":68.0,"text":"with those big solar panels made of lots of individual photovoltaic cells which","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":65.76,"end_s":73.6,"text":"contain semiconducting materials such as silicon, not silicone. And when sunlight","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":71.28,"end_s":78.72,"text":"hits a solar cell, it knocks some of the electrons in the silicon free, which","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":76.24,"end_s":83.68,"text":"causes an electrical current to flow. Big solar power plants or farms take","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":81.52,"end_s":88.159,"text":"this electricity and store it for later usage. Not very efficient. Or send it","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":86.159,"end_s":91.6,"text":"directly to the grid. More efficient, but still not very efficient. More on","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":89.84,"end_s":97.759,"text":"that later. The other major solar technology is called CSP or concentrated","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":94.96,"end_s":102.4,"text":"solar power, which is really just a much bigger version of using a magnifying","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":100.079,"end_s":105.68,"text":"glass to fry ants or whatever other twisted stuff you did as a kid. I don't","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":103.92,"end_s":110.24,"text":"even want to know. These power plants work by using large mirrors or lenses to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":108.399,"end_s":114.96,"text":"focus sunlight. Really, it is just like that. Onto a series of tubes, not the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":112.88,"end_s":119.119,"text":"internet, other tubes, actual pipes that contain a special fluid that can use the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":116.799,"end_s":125.52,"text":"sun's heat energy to produce steam that drives a turbine. Both photovoltaics and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":122.479,"end_s":127.28,"text":"CSP were very minor players in the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":125.52,"end_s":131.92,"text":"energy market around the turn of the 21st century. But since then, energy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":130.0,"end_s":137.68,"text":"capacity from solar power has skyrocketed. In 2013, the world produced","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":134.959,"end_s":142.4,"text":"10 times as much energy from sunlight as it did just 5 years prior. And that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":139.92,"end_s":146.879,"text":"number should continue to grow. In fact, the International Energy Agency has","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":144.4,"end_s":153.519,"text":"projected that over 1/4th of the world's electricity supply will be solar by","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":149.599,"end_s":155.84,"text":"2050. But what's behind this huge solar","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":153.519,"end_s":160.16,"text":"renaissance? Well, some of it has to do with government policies and the state","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":157.68,"end_s":164.8,"text":"of the energy market. But there's also been a lot of innovation in the actual","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":162.72,"end_s":169.12,"text":"technology that's propelled solar to the forefront. One of the biggest challenges","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":166.56,"end_s":173.44,"text":"since the advent of solar power has been efficiency. See, I said I would talk","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":170.959,"end_s":178.64,"text":"about this later. A solar plant can't just convert all the light that hits it","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":175.76,"end_s":184.56,"text":"into useful electricity. Some of it is reflected back or lost as waste heat,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":181.84,"end_s":190.08,"text":"which has made solar energy expensive. I mean, not to mention the land it has to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":186.159,"end_s":192.8,"text":"sit on and inefficient for a long time.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":190.08,"end_s":197.44,"text":"So, what we need are cheaper, more efficient materials such as thin film","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":195.44,"end_s":202.8,"text":"cells, which are not only cheaper than traditional silicon, but are hundreds of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":200.08,"end_s":207.519,"text":"times thinner and now power some of the largest solar farms in the world due to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":205.44,"end_s":212.0,"text":"their low cost. There are also some other more experimental materials in the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":209.68,"end_s":216.72,"text":"works that promise to push efficiency to unprecedented heights. In the year 2000,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":214.799,"end_s":222.4,"text":"the most efficient solar cell in the laboratory was rated at just above 30%.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":219.519,"end_s":226.159,"text":"But in 2015, that number has risen to 46%.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":224.239,"end_s":230.4,"text":"So, while there's a long way to go before we can run the entire world like","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":228.0,"end_s":234.239,"text":"one gigantic calculator, speaking of calculators, there are some amazing","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":231.92,"end_s":239.04,"text":"private projects going on that allow you to determine if your area is optimal for","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":236.799,"end_s":243.28,"text":"solar panel installations on your roof, which can actually help you lower your","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":240.72,"end_s":246.879,"text":"personal electricity bills, even if it, you know, doesn't do much for powering","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":244.799,"end_s":251.36,"text":"an entire city. The day might be coming pretty soon when your gadgets can run","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":248.72,"end_s":255.92,"text":"cleaner and cheaper. Even if you opted for the, you know, Deluxo clothes dryer","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":254.319,"end_s":262.0,"text":"that blacks out the whole neighborhood every time you set it to a drying cycle.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":259.359,"end_s":267.12,"text":"Speaking of setting up drying cycles, you know what?","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":265.28,"end_s":271.44,"text":"Wow, this segue isn't going to work. Okay, clearly that segue wasn't going to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":268.96,"end_s":275.84,"text":"work. So, I'll bet Fresh Books. It's an online tool designed to make running","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":273.36,"end_s":282.08,"text":"your small business or if you do like freelance work or whatever else easier","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":278.56,"end_s":284.08,"text":"and more organized. So, you can uh put","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":282.08,"end_s":288.4,"text":"your invoicing in there. You can keep track of your cash flow. You can track","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":286.32,"end_s":293.04,"text":"your expenses. You can see a full history of an invoice including, you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":290.639,"end_s":296.96,"text":"know, useful details like if you've sent it to the client, if the client has","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":295.28,"end_s":300.56,"text":"viewed it, and if the client has paid it, something they can do directly","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":298.56,"end_s":306.8,"text":"through the online tool. And all you have to do is head over to freshbooks.com/techquicki","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":303.919,"end_s":311.199,"text":"for a free trial and just try it out. I mean, here's something that's kind of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":308.639,"end_s":316.16,"text":"crazy. Freshbooks has had us doing these spots for them for months and we have","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":313.36,"end_s":319.759,"text":"not received yet a single complaint from anyone using FreshBooks. Pretty cool,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":318.56,"end_s":325.6,"text":"right? So, if you're on your own business, give it a try. That's freshbooks.com/tequicky","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":323.52,"end_s":329.44,"text":"and start using tools that make you feel like the boss that you are. So, thanks","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":327.919,"end_s":332.479,"text":"for watching, guys. Like if you liked, dislike if you disliked. Don't forget to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":331.12,"end_s":336.639,"text":"check out our other channels. We got a great video over on Channel Super Fun","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":334.639,"end_s":340.0,"text":"where we were like Nerf battling it up in the new office here. That was all","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":338.16,"end_s":342.88,"text":"pretty sick. So, make sure you go and subscribe over there and subscribe over","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":341.6,"end_s":349.12,"text":"here and leave a comment if you have suggestions for future Fastest Possible videos just like this one. Thank you and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":346.24,"end_s":349.12,"text":"I'll see you again next","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0}],"full_text":"Have you ever gotten a brand new gadget like some super awesome computer and powered it on for the first time with that satisfying noise? No, the other noise that's better. And thought to yourself, why is it that we are using electricity produced by, you know, power plants that are burning coal or nuclear fishision reactors? What about the most abundant source of energy on the planet, sunlight? Well, me too. And that's what this video is about. Sunlight is literally everywhere and keeps everything on Earth alive in one way or another. So it raises the question, so why has so little of our energy production been from solar technology until recently? And what are the advancements that are making solar useful for so much more than calculators and those funnyl looking cars? Well, first it helps to know a little something about how we actually convert sunlight into electricity. One way is with those big solar panels made of lots of individual photovoltaic cells which contain semiconducting materials such as silicon, not silicone. And when sunlight hits a solar cell, it knocks some of the electrons in the silicon free, which causes an electrical current to flow. Big solar power plants or farms take this electricity and store it for later usage. Not very efficient. Or send it directly to the grid. More efficient, but still not very efficient. More on that later. The other major solar technology is called CSP or concentrated solar power, which is really just a much bigger version of using a magnifying glass to fry ants or whatever other twisted stuff you did as a kid. I don't even want to know. These power plants work by using large mirrors or lenses to focus sunlight. Really, it is just like that. Onto a series of tubes, not the internet, other tubes, actual pipes that contain a special fluid that can use the sun's heat energy to produce steam that drives a turbine. Both photovoltaics and CSP were very minor players in the energy market around the turn of the 21st century. But since then, energy capacity from solar power has skyrocketed. In 2013, the world produced 10 times as much energy from sunlight as it did just 5 years prior. And that number should continue to grow. In fact, the International Energy Agency has projected that over 1/4th of the world's electricity supply will be solar by 2050. But what's behind this huge solar renaissance? Well, some of it has to do with government policies and the state of the energy market. But there's also been a lot of innovation in the actual technology that's propelled solar to the forefront. One of the biggest challenges since the advent of solar power has been efficiency. See, I said I would talk about this later. A solar plant can't just convert all the light that hits it into useful electricity. Some of it is reflected back or lost as waste heat, which has made solar energy expensive. I mean, not to mention the land it has to sit on and inefficient for a long time. So, what we need are cheaper, more efficient materials such as thin film cells, which are not only cheaper than traditional silicon, but are hundreds of times thinner and now power some of the largest solar farms in the world due to their low cost. There are also some other more experimental materials in the works that promise to push efficiency to unprecedented heights. In the year 2000, the most efficient solar cell in the laboratory was rated at just above 30%. But in 2015, that number has risen to 46%. So, while there's a long way to go before we can run the entire world like one gigantic calculator, speaking of calculators, there are some amazing private projects going on that allow you to determine if your area is optimal for solar panel installations on your roof, which can actually help you lower your personal electricity bills, even if it, you know, doesn't do much for powering an entire city. The day might be coming pretty soon when your gadgets can run cleaner and cheaper. Even if you opted for the, you know, Deluxo clothes dryer that blacks out the whole neighborhood every time you set it to a drying cycle. Speaking of setting up drying cycles, you know what? Wow, this segue isn't going to work. Okay, clearly that segue wasn't going to work. So, I'll bet Fresh Books. It's an online tool designed to make running your small business or if you do like freelance work or whatever else easier and more organized. So, you can uh put your invoicing in there. You can keep track of your cash flow. You can track your expenses. You can see a full history of an invoice including, you know, useful details like if you've sent it to the client, if the client has viewed it, and if the client has paid it, something they can do directly through the online tool. And all you have to do is head over to freshbooks.com/techquicki for a free trial and just try it out. I mean, here's something that's kind of crazy. Freshbooks has had us doing these spots for them for months and we have not received yet a single complaint from anyone using FreshBooks. Pretty cool, right? So, if you're on your own business, give it a try. That's freshbooks.com/tequicky and start using tools that make you feel like the boss that you are. So, thanks for watching, guys. Like if you liked, dislike if you disliked. Don't forget to check out our other channels. We got a great video over on Channel Super Fun where we were like Nerf battling it up in the new office here. That was all pretty sick. So, make sure you go and subscribe over there and subscribe over here and leave a comment if you have suggestions for future Fastest Possible videos just like this one. Thank you and I'll see you again next"}