Low-Cost Globe-Shaped Solar Design Is Highly Efficient
When doing research for this article, I found some great green products, but never one like this. Can you imagine getting electrical energy from balloons? This is what Cool Earth of Livermore, California has done when he designed the next generation of solar collectors. The basic concept has not changed; convert sunlight into electrical energy using solar cells; but the packaging has changed, and this is where the balloon design is unique.
One side of the balloon is made of reflective silver Mylar plastic. With the other half it is transparent to let in the sunlight. The silver material is parabolic in shape to concentrate sunlight at a single point. That point is the solar cell pack that is placed on an arm at the precise point of maximum light concentration.
The balloon has a simple circular metal frame that is used to hold the Mylar in the proper shape. An arm extends from the ring to the top center of the orb. This contains the solar cells that produce electricity. The cells are cooled with water to dissipate the heat concentrated in the solar cells.
The balloon design will concentrate sunlight 300 to 400 times better than traditional roof-mounted solar panels. By design, this reduces the cost of each balloon and greatly increases the electrical output per cubic inch of solar cell material. This means that the cost of electricity produced will be on a par with current natural gas power plants.
When operational, the balloon will produce around 1kw of power. Since the average home draws around 3.5kw, only a 20 square foot area would be needed. But sadly, the company is only looking to produce this design for local utility companies and large companies.
One of the most daunting aspects of any of the green products I’ve seen is the cost. When researching renewable solar energy, it is amazing how simple this design is and the cost reduction that has been applied. If this product is mass-produced, the cost per watt will drop significantly and perhaps to a level where its cost is on par with coal-fired power plants.