Michael Foster wrote:
OTOH, look at the size, scale and weight of the solar concentrator
and the fact the hydrogen generator is way up there in the air
with all those cables, tubes and tubes and wires hanging down.
That's how I felt about the Stirling Solar gadget. It looks fragile. A
storm would topple it or bend it out of shape. They say it has to be
assembled in a factory to achieve the precision focus. So what happens when
you leave it in the field for a year?
Contrast this with my proposed 3.3 meter fresnel concentrator,
with its lightweight frame, way cheaper optics and the fact that
whatever is receiving the concenctrated solar energy can be placed
on the ground.
Would it reach 400 deg C? Does it concentrate the light enough for this?
(Mike: Check out the kewel Fresnel collectors here:
http://www.southeastgreenpower.net/2005/presentations/ChrisOBrien.pdf)
- Jed
