Concentrator-Solar Photovoltaic Power at a Quarter the Cost: Morgan Solar Sun Simba HCPV
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY 
on 09. 9.08
I was going to wait until Morgan Solar actually opened its demonstration project at the Earth Rangers Center in Ontario sometime later this month, but after seeing some more info on their new concentrating-solar technology in Greentech Media I couldn't wait.
The payoff first: Morgan Solar claims that its new technology will cost one-quarter as much as traditional concentrating-solar. Quite a claim, but how will Morgan Solar's system, which they've dubbed the Sun Simba HCPV (High Concentating Photovoltaic), actually work?
Low Cost, Lightweight, Recyclable Materials
Unlike current concentrating-solar designs which use lenses or reflectors to direct the sunlight onto solar cells, Morgan Solar’s uses what it is calling a “Light-guide Solar Optic” made of acrylic which concentrates sunlight 750 times onto multilayered solar cells at the edge of the plastic. The company says that their system eliminates the bulkiness of traditional CPV systems, is extremely low cost, uses no toxic materials and is 100% recyclable.
In an interview with Greentech Media, Morgan Solar’s director of business development Nicolas Morgan described the system in a bit more detail:
Two triangular optics are put together in a package about the size and shape of a CD case, each drawing light to one corner of the concentrator [...] A panel will consist of 80 to 100 of these CD-case-like arrangements [...] By guiding light to the edge – not the bottom – of a panel, the concentrator releases heat instead of trapping it and doesn't overheat.
Prototype Working Within the Month
Morgan Solar’s demonstration prototype, which I mentioned at the beginning of the post, will be one square meter in size; production panels are expected to be about 1.5x1.0 meters.
Commercial Production By End of 2009?
Though there are multiple hurdles to overcome before bringing this technology to the commercial stage, Morgan Solar expects to do so by the end of 2009. Provided all goes well between now and then, this could be definitely one to watch.
via :: Morgan Solar and Greentech Media :: ”Out of Africa: New Concentrating-Solar Tech Inspired by Congo Stint”, :: “Morgan Solar: From Staggered Panel Key to Concentrator”
all images: Morgan Solar
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Nice idea certainly. Acrylic plastic is not benign at the top of the life cycle. There are large energy and material inputs during manufacturing: some are toxic. If this is going to work at a global scale, the plastic ought to be recyclable in the same manner that glass is.
I've always felt that this sort of design would win out when it came to CPV.
I say this with one caveat: I have absolutely no clue how this thing works and I don't see how they could make it work. I hope it's real but I small vapor ware.
Actually, I see how it works now. It is best to think of the lenses as wedges. Pretty simple and brilliant, not going to lie. Unfortunately, this system will need VERY precise tracking to function. An anti-reflective coating will also be necessary.
There's lots of great energy producing technologies. They just seem to be coming and coming. Some even appear scalable.
What I'd really like to hear about is some good, scalable energy storage solutions.
Considering that it would cost perhaps a couple grand max to build a working prototype, how can this company announce data and results using only a rendering?
You'd think that one would have to make a demo model first and THEN announce breakthrough (if there is any).
Good luck to them and I hope this will work.
like always, JSDreyer asks the right question.
But remember recently we got the news about more efficient electrolysis for hydrogen production and also the during the same week came the news on a more reliable and cheaper fuel cell to utilise that hydrogen. Not to mention the advances in battery technology. So the answers are coming and we can gradually upgrade to better storage equipment.
Guys, no this is not vaporware. It was actually a brainfart of some MIT students a year ago ... already finding it's way into commercial use. I've been following development on it for a few months now. Works like this:
Have you ever noticed that if you look at the edge of a colored piece of plexiglass that the edge looks brighter than the flat areas? Dyes in the plexiglass actually bend the light 90 degrees - a serendipitous phenomenon that they've tweaked to get maximum output at the edge.
The great thing is that they can separate the colors by layering a different color on each plexiglass. Then, place solar cells on the edge which are tuned to that frequency (color) of light.
Savings are introduced by using 1/10th the amount of silicon or less.
Unfortunately, if you're solar PV is professionally installed the cost of the panels is only half of the total cost ... so "3 times cheaper" is really only 40% cheaper ... but still that is very significant.
Another thing I forgot to mention. I believe this is the only CPV technology that doesn't require direct sunlight. In otherwords, all other CPV technologies are only viable in the southeastern US. This could go everywhere.
I could be wrong on this point, but I doubt it.
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html
[quote]'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage system
Anne Trafton, News Office
July 31, 2008[/quote]
Just thought I'd spread the good news. ;)
You would think that if solar collectors have a problem with heat generated that they would combine solar electric with solar hot water and kill 2 birds with one stone! Use water to cool the solar photovoltaics, which would heat the water. I wonder why no one has tried this??
"Unfortunately, this system will need VERY precise tracking to function."
It's been a while since I've done the math, but at one point the additional expense of a tracking mount would instead buy enough extra panels to make up the power lost by not tracking.
I might have to see if this is still true.
Cheap storage is already here. And it's damn simple too!
Ice storage for airconditioning and hot water storage for heat pump space and hot water heating provides plenty of storage. And it's economic cost is actually negative (because the cheapest rates can be used for cooling/heating with the thermal storage).
If you are interested in this tech you should hunt down the patents at the wipo website and see for yourself the cleverness of the idea. Its cool.
You can see the patent here:
http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20080271776