http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/ News About Tech, Money and Innovation Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:58:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/comment-page-1/#comment-806592 Sunrgi claims bargain-basement power prices from new solar concentrator design » VentureBeat Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:10:45 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/#comment-806592 [...] on a single point (by comparison, one of the previous biggest claims for concentration levels was Greenvolts’ 625 suns). For an idea of how this might work, try to think of the most ingenious way possible to torch ants [...] [...] on a single point (by comparison, one of the previous biggest claims for concentration levels was Greenvolts’ 625 suns). For an idea of how this might work, try to think of the most ingenious way possible to torch ants [...]

]]> http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/comment-page-1/#comment-610738 Dave Fri, 02 Nov 2007 04:46:10 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/#comment-610738 This is obviously true but this is not what the company claims. I believe it is the author or the article that placed emphasis on reducing land use via concentrator technology not GreenVolt. GreenVolt's only claim to be able to save space is by the virtue of their mounting/tracking system allowing the units to be mounted closer together. PV typically operate at efficiencies that are inversely proportional to temperature and concentrating the sun my a magnification of 625 is bound to raise temperature. Their technology may be great and cost half of their competition as they claim but it won't significantly reduce the amount of land required which was the theme of the article. This is obviously true but this is not what the company claims. I believe it is the author or the article that placed emphasis on reducing land use via concentrator technology not GreenVolt. GreenVolt’s only claim to be able to save space is by the virtue of their mounting/tracking system allowing the units to be mounted closer together.
PV typically operate at efficiencies that are inversely proportional to temperature and concentrating the sun my a magnification of 625 is bound to raise temperature. Their technology may be great and cost half of their competition as they claim but it won’t significantly reduce the amount of land required which was the theme of the article.

]]> http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/comment-page-1/#comment-610276 andrew Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:07:27 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/#comment-610276 You can use cells that are more than twice as efficient which means half the land use. You can use cells that are more than twice as efficient which means half the land use.

]]> http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/comment-page-1/#comment-607714 Dave Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:55:41 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/#comment-607714 You can't increase the amount of energy that hits the earth over a given area. Your options are to capture the light where it hits, i.e. like your typical PV array or focus it on a single point using mirrors and then capture it. The difference is not in the amount of land used but if it cheaper to use relatively cheaper mirrors and a more expensive collector vs a PV panels which would be cheaper than their collector but more expensive than a mirror. Lighting a candle in a room of mirrors doesn't create more light. It may distribute it more evenly, but that is all it does. You can’t increase the amount of energy that hits the earth over a given area. Your options are to capture the light where it hits, i.e. like your typical PV array or focus it on a single point using mirrors and then capture it. The difference is not in the amount of land used but if it cheaper to use relatively cheaper mirrors and a more expensive collector vs a PV panels which would be cheaper than their collector but more expensive than a mirror.
Lighting a candle in a room of mirrors doesn’t create more light. It may distribute it more evenly, but that is all it does.

]]> http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/comment-page-1/#comment-606202 ruckrover Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:05:35 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/#comment-606202 Dave, that's not a very smart comment - concentration of light is presumably due to reflection. Try lighting a candle in a dark room - then next time light the same candle in a room full of mirrors - notice the difference! Dave, that’s not a very smart comment – concentration of light is presumably due to reflection. Try lighting a candle in a dark room – then next time light the same candle in a room full of mirrors – notice the difference!

]]> http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/comment-page-1/#comment-604536 Dave Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:38:17 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/30/greenvolts-solar-power-concentrator-raises-cash/#comment-604536 The sun has to hit the earth first before it can be concentrated so I fail to see how this will result in lower land use. The sun has to hit the earth first before it can be concentrated so I fail to see how this will result in lower land use.

]]>