I believe the claims were meant to explain that the collector would also bring in nearby light by reflection, effectively allowing a smaller area of photovoltaics to collect 500x what we currently would use to collect the same. Basically seemed like if you point some mirrors at the panel, it brings in more light, but still needed the space for the reflectors. So, is IS possible to harness 500x the amount of energy per surface area of photovoltaics, but it is not 500x more efficient photovoltaics. If that is true, then more area would go towards reflective material which is likely much cheaper than photovoltaics, which could make this a good step towards cheaper solar.
However... we can't expect the world to run on solar power anywhere near the same amount we use currently. Efficiency, conservation, relocalization, population reduction, economies of scale, passive solar designs... yada yada ... let's use less power rather than try to find ways to keep our crazy energy hogging lifestyles. I average 3kWh per day for 2 people living together, and I know that is still way too much to ever be sustainable. -Andy Rich Bernstein wrote: > Unfortunately, a bunch of the claims in the article are just not true. > > The amount of energy available in the UV spectrum is extremely small > compared to the amount in the visible range. There are a couple of nice > charts here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_radiation , especially the > one in the "climate effect" section. The area under a section of the curve > is proportional to the amount of incident energy in that wavelength range. > > There is no way this can harness 500 times the light of a typical solar > cell. Most current devices are around 10% efficient or more, which means > they convert 10% of ALL of the incident solar radiation (including UV and > infrared) to electricity. The record so far is about 40%. So there is no > way this could get close to even 10 times as much conversion as a typical > cell, or double the best proven technology. > > Could he have developed a more efficient design for a solar device? Maybe. > Could the design be easier to install? Maybe. Is there something > groundbreaking and new here that will completely change the solar industry > on its own? I doubt it. Is it cool that this was done by a 12-year old? > Sure, assuming it's true, and it still would be if he was a college student. > I think that's the nice part of the story, even though the technological > claims are questionable. > > -- > Rich > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 11:10 AM > Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] inspiring solar tech news > > >> Thanks Elan. >> >> It seem such a basic concept when you think about it.? >> >> And yet?it waited for a 12 year old to think there might be other parts?of >> the light spectrum that could be utilized. Whew! >> >> More posibility for green jobs!.. I'm facing hip surgery at an as yet >> undermined time...which makes me feel very personally vulnerable in >> addition to everthing else....I still need to be able to feel some hope. >> >> I really like all that stuff about Bio-char, too! >> >> Jeanne? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Elan Shapiro <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:50 am >> Subject: [SustainableTompkins] inspiring solar tech news >> >> >> >> http://news.yahoo.com/s/zd/20080919/tc_zd/232218;_ylt=AoBOPkJ70xEZF_FWg7GGQQQDW7oF >> >> >> >> >> -- >> Elan Shapiro >> Sustainable Tompkins Community Partnership Coordinator >> Sustainable Living Associates, Principal >> Frog's Way B&B >> 211 Rachel Carson Way >> Ithaca, NY 14850 >> 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell >> >> "We must be the change we want to see in the world" >> Mohandas Gandhi >> _______________________________________________ >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, >> please >> visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >> [email protected] >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, >> please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >> [email protected] >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please > visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > [email protected] > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > > > -- Andy Goodell Assistant Director www.IthacaCarshare.org 607.277.3210 _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
