Many people find the idea of solar power intriguing. What most people don’t realize is that the efficiency of solar power from flat panels is around 18% and power from sterling engines are around 22%. Solar cells that are triple junction can have efficiencies of 40%. SolarTron Energy Systems is testing these solar cells with its parabolic concentrator called, SolarBeam. Why are parabolic reflectors so good for producing solar power?
Parabolic reflectors are employed to concentrate incoming radiation onto a smaller receiver. For example, in solar energy applications concentrators can reduce heat losses in thermal collectors. For example, the SolarBeam uses a 10” x 10” surface area for producing up to 4kW of electricity. Since the solar cells are placed in such a small surface area, they are able absorb the full effects of the concentrated sunlight. On the other hand, if a customer wants to receive only thermal power, the solar concentrator can provide up to 44,000 BTU’s per hour with less than 1% heat loss in the cold winter months. Since the surface area of the collector is only 10” x 10” , there is minimal heat loss compared to flat panels that have huge surface area. This is why solar concentrators are considered to be the most efficient method to create solar power and thermal heat.
However, the design of a solar concentrator takes precision and a lot of forethought. Some errors can occur that will reduce the efficiency of a solar concentrator dramatically. For example: optical errors may be caused by deviations of the reflector surface from the specified parabolic contour, by lack of perfect specularity of the reflector material or by displacement of the receiver from its design position. Therefore, there is only a handful of companies in the world that have perfected the design of the concentrator, one of them is SolarTron Energy that has a SolarBeam at 82% efficiency. It is important for installers of solar concentrators to be trained on how to install them properly. There are a lot of “do it yourself” people who think they can reduce costs by installing these systems themselves. However, the reality is that if you do not install the system correctly, you will drop my half the efficiency of the system. There are training seminars available that show how to install solar concentrators. If you are interested in broadening your skill set and getting into the solar power sector, then it is a worthwhile investment.
There are many choices for solar power, some cheap and some very expensive. The key is not to be duped when choosing an alternative energy system. Study your area, see what is the most efficient alternative energy technology that would fit the characteristics of your area. For example, windmills may be better in your are than solar. Or maybe it’s geothermal or flat panels. There is no perfect solution, the only solution is the one that fits your budget and your location. After you have found the right system, be sure to find the right installer, and then you are all set to reap the rewards. If you find solar power to be a worthwhile investment then go ahead, your pocketbook and the planet will thank you.
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