Michael Foster wrote:
These lenses are made in continuous rolls, rather than pressed as individual parts. Because of a number of other innovations I am able to manufacture and sell this stuff for less than a dollar per square meter. This is roughly 1% of the cost of conventionally manufactured fresnels.
That's fantastic! VERY impressive.
What I would like to know, since there is such a variety of knowledgable people on this list, what would be the best use of 8kW of concentrated solar energy? Thermoelectric? Stirling? Zinc reduction? What? I really don't know what do with this, if anything.
I wouldn't know, but I urge you to try to get in touch with solar energy experts and enthusiasts. Something like this could tip the balance, shifting some of these systems from "interesting" to "cost effective."
Years ago in a discussion of PVs, Ed Storms remark that much of this research is misguided, in that they are trying to increase the conversion efficiency of the devices, but they should be trying to lower the cost per watt of capacity. Efficiency does not matter much because so much open collection space is available, on building roofs, in deserts, and so on. A cheap Fresnel lens collector is functionally equivalent to a cheap PV.
James Beene mentioned the heartbreaking history of the Luz solar electric power plants in California. Even after Luz filed for bankruptcy the power company continued to use the equipment. They would not throw away a 350 MWe generator! I wonder if it is still in operation.
- Jed
