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(Photo Courtesy: Cool Earth Solar)
Posted on 11/10/2008 5:13:45 PM PST by SC Swamp Fox
Compared with typical photovoltaic systems requiring large and costly panels and mirrors, Cool Earth Solar's inflated solar concentrators are shaped like balloons and are primarily made of inexpensive or free materials. The company estimates that one solar power plant using its unconventional design and covering 150 square miles could generate enough power to meet all the electrical needs of the United States through 2030. And it could do so at a cost of $1 per watt, compared with rooftop photovoltaic systems that can run up to $8 per watt.
(Photo Courtesy: Cool Earth Solar)
The system works like a conventional concentrated photovoltaic cell (CPV) system but instead of using rigid aluminum or glass structures to focus light, it uses use inflatable metallized plastic films that are 400 times cheaper than polished aluminum mirrors. And, instead of using ribs or trusswork to maintain the mirror shape, about 5 lb of air is used to inflate the concentrator. Water circulating through a steel strut removes waste heat, not large heat spreaders and sinks used by other CPV systems.
"Our development process and construction process is measured in months, not years," says Cool Earth Solar CEO Rob Lamkin. "We can get our projects permitted in 3 months instead of 2 to 3 years. It's a huge difference in terms of development time and also cost." (CPV Today)
Measuring 8 ft dia, each inflated, balloon-shaped concentrator is made of 2 lb of PET—the same kind of plastic film used to bag snack foods—with a transparent upper hemisphere and a reflective lower hemisphere made of a very small amount of aluminum. In fact, the average aluminum soda can has enough material to create reflective surfaces for about 725 concentrators. Strong enough to support a person's weight, the inflated structure can withstand winds of 125 miles per hour. The transparent upper surface protects the PV cell and mirrored surface from rain, snow, insects, and dirt.
When inflated with air, the concentrator naturally forms a shape that focuses sunlight onto a PV cell placed at the focal point and secured by a steel strut tethered in place. A single cell in the concentrator generates about 300 to 400 times the electricity of a cell without a concentrator. A lightweight, flexible steel band forming a harness around the circumference of the concentrator holds and points the concentrator, which is suspended by a patented support system based on the architectural principle of tensegrity.
System design keeps costs low and speeds up installation. That's why the company anticipates replacing systems every year even though the balloons can last 5 years, according to Forbes. Moreover, the balloons can work in a variety of landscapes. “We're not limited to a few narrow locations,” CEO Rob Lamkin tells Sterling D. Allan of Free Energy Now radio. “We can deploy in farmland, rolling hills, all kinds of terrain. We don't need a thousand acres of perfectly flat land in the desert in order to deploy our technology. Because our technology is so modular, we have more opportunity and many more possible locations for siting our 10 MW plants compared to other solar technologies.”
According to CNET, the company soon will set up a test installation of a few dozen suspended balloons, which will generate about 100 or 200 kW, and then start building a 1.5 MW commercial solar power plant this winter—enough power to supply about 400 or 500 U.S. homes. Constructed in Tracy, CA, the plant will sell electricity to a utility.
Bring it on. I’m for solar, got 2 panels on my boat.
A sheethead with a BB gun could ruin your life.
They may have some serious competition...
Mini nuclear plants to power 20,000 homes:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/09/miniature-nuclear-reactors-los-alamos
How much does the same size cell produce with the mirror than without.
Unfortunately, this innovative company’s latest project has come to a halt. Environmentalists won’t let them build the power lines from the desert solar array site to the city.
So environmentalists won’t even let us build solar, the ultimate free energy.
I’m more of a fan of off-grid living, so power lines are less of a concern to me.
Put it in New Mexico or Arizona... perfect solar station places.
>So environmentalists won’t even let us build solar, the ultimate free energy.
How weird... the company should tlee them to shove it and talk to the state instead.
Ten percent is good. But that’s not my point. For me, it’s a matter of freedom. Wind and solar together, along with some other local solutions, allow those who wish to find freedom off the rat race grid. Today, with existing technologies, you can buy a piece of cheap land based on its isolation, and then make your own power for living the 21st century lifestyle.....without the power, electric and water companies hand on the switch or valve upstream from you.
I agree. I have read that our energy grid would become unstable if these unreliable, alternative sources supply more then 12% of our energy.
But photovoltaic energy has some applications particularly in remote locations, and I really like the simplicity of this reflector.
Click on his screen-name. He likes a good joke...but he's not joking. He's already posted that he uses photovoltaic cells on his boat.
Ping?
a decentralized energy producing system is what we should go for. This encourage competition. Won’t it be great if your house produce all the energy you need and transport and you dont have to pay the electricity company for it
Coupled with the tech in the article linked below this might just be marginally viable:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081103130924.htm
What happens in 2031?
If solar energy ever gets cheap enough the next problem will be energy storage and that's changing rapidly as well. You need enough energy storage to cover the worst case expected sun outages. Also by placing solar production over a wide area you greatly increase the chances of the sun shining in one or more of those places. The key remains costs. If the costs are low enough one can afford to build many redundant systems.
LOL! If that’s true then it just confirms my opinion of environmentalists that they aren’t really concerned with solving problems to help man and save the planet but instead want only to punish man.
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