Re: [Vo]:Fresnel focused solar

[Jones Beene]

--- Mike Carrell wrote:

> Small problem:  frenels make cheap concentrators,
but then you need  sun-tracking mounting, not shown,
and that can be quite expensive.


There is an added cost, of course, but supposedly
there would also be a fast payback, especially in
winter and especially for modular units (below). 

Biggest Problem: what is really available now in
low-cost tracking for small systems ? 

Here in a VERY nice graphic image of a modular system-
which unfortunately, is closer to vaporware than a
real product - but on paper it seems to be
mass-producible, and a cost effective solution which
will fit on the average roof:

http://www.soliant-energy.com/products.php

... Nice! especially if mass-produced, but- as is so
common with these companies- there is no actual photo
of the real installed item, or cost study ...which
product they had "claimed" [like Nanosolar] would be
shipping in 2007.

Is it any wonder why many of us are more than a bit
skeptical of how effectively the US free-enterprise
system has been able to cope with the introduction of
relatively simple solar solutions (i.e. the tracking
sub-system, not the panels)? 

If the Rockefeller's really want Exxon to 'give back'
something to an economy which they have almost bled
dry (as was recently in the news) then here is the
perfect place ! 

However, it would not surprise me if the big advances
to come in cost-effective solar are not made in India,
Israel, China etc. since they tend to have more high
level Government support for private companies- for
such projects (and more internal need).

And possibly less greed...

Jones