Potential ideas for improving the ecological state

Solar power

Solar power is cost-efficient, fastest to install and get to function. It is a trend nowadays and there is a lot of information available about solar panel usage and implementation in Finland.

Waste Management

We have an idea of a machine that separates the bio waste from the glass jars this can reduce landfill waste -> saves money and ecological improvement (Act of priority). Simple small device that can be put in the laboratory.

Mood Board

Link: http://www.gomoodboard.com/boards/KpqeJ5RO/share

What is been shown in the mood board is the main aspects of our project.

Mindmap

Project Pitch

Idea Tree

Lean Canvas

Group photo from Nestle factory

Commentary on another Capstone Blog

ExMan-3D 
https://exman3d.blogspot.fi/

• Complete and up to date blog
• Interesting concept of the sims-like industry based game
• Modern way of learning
• Supports entrepreneurship 
• Can be used as a teaching tool
• Agreeable team rules set in place
• All introductions are in the blog
• Stakeholder map made
• Interesting to see if the concept will be put to practical use (will it work in the real world?)

Stakeholder map

Osmotic power — power production based on the osmotic pressure difference between waters with varying salt gradients

Osmotic power is a new renewable energy, which is stands out as a promising and unexploited sources. It uses a membrane as a filtrer that will let water flow through, while it catches suspended solids and other substances, this is the membrane technology. This is the main technology for an efficient osmotic power production. 

The principle of the osmosis is to place a semi-permeable between two tanks containing water with different salt gradients. By the use of the entropy of mixing water, and the creation of increasing pressure due to osmotic forces, we would be able to see a laminar flow of water to the most saltier side. This increased pressure is introduced into a turbine to create the energy. 

The osmotic power is capable to produce approx 12 TWh/year, and to operate during 7000 hours a year at full capacity (while a wind mill is designed to operate in a average 3.500 hours a year at various capacities). 

Osmotic power represents an existing new renewable energy source with a strong commercial potential. However, this technology is expensive to settle, but the rentability is more significant. 

Photovoltaic solar energy: Conceptual framework

The solar energy is developed in this article in 4 steps: introduction, research method, photovoltaic solar energy, and conclusion. 

Virtually all photovoltaic devices incorporate a PN junction in a semiconductor, which through a photo voltage is developed. These devices are also known as solar cells or photovoltaic cells. A typical solar cell is shown in picture below. The PN junction is the main part of the cell where the light receiving portion is the N-type material in the part below this the material is P-type. 

 

Despite the decrease in generation during cloudy days, energy from the sun is abundant, while the volume of water in the dams during periods of drought is limited. If compared to wind energy, photovoltaic solar energy is silent and can be generated in urban areas since panels can be installed on the roof. 

Thus, we can adopt as a concept of photovoltaic solar energy the following definition: electricity obtained directly from the conversion of solar energy. 

Advantages 

• Reliable systems 

• Low cost of operation and maintenance 
• Low maintenance 
• Free energy source 
• Clean Energy 
• High Availability 

• The generation can be made closer to the consumer 
• Does not cause environmental impacts 
• Potential to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gasses 
• Noiseless 

Disadvantages 

• High initial cost 
• Needs a relatively large area of installation 
• High dependence on technology development 
• Geographical conditions (solar irradiation) 

Silicon is the most popular material in commercial solar cell modules, accounting for about 90% of the photovoltaic cell market 

It’s generally stable and non-toxic, bandgap of 1.12 eV, almost ideally adapted to the terrestrial solar spectrum, that is, the silicon is sensitized within the range of electromagnetic spectrum emitted by the sun. 

Currently PV plant suppliers cite an operating lifetime of a 30 year PV installation, but the warranty for the material is usually limited to 5 years due to damaging events such as damage from improper installation or maintenance, hail, Snow and storm, etc. In Europe, modules that have failed during transportation, installation or operation are collected for disposal by the European Association PV CYCLE. Across Europe, by the end of December 2015, 13,239 t of failed or depleted modules have been collected.  

Link to the article 

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032117303076#s0085