They're not talking about a solar concentrator; there are no mirrors. They mean this type of device:
http://gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/newsrelease/3d-solar.htm You still only have the amount of light that is incident on the device, determined by the cross-section and the light angle. You know, I'll bet where they say "times" they mean really mean "percent." That would be more in line with physics rather than magic. -- Rich ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andy Goodell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:57 PM Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] inspiring solar tech news >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 _______________________________________________ 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
