One Real Breakthrough in Renewable Energy for Each 100 Claims
Here’s a presentation from The Energy Collective on a “breakthrough” solar technology that sounds like complete malarkey to me (though I’d be interested in readers’ take). In any case, it raises a larger issue: don’t reporters have some responsibility to look into the validity of what they’re covering and representing as real innovation?
Trust me, you’d be pretty unimpressed with me if I promoted all the ideas I come across in a given week as legitimate “breakthroughs” just because that’s what their “inventors” want me to do.
How credible is it that a spinning cone of PV is going to represent a huge improvement in efficiency in converting light into electricity? Does it make sense that all the gadgetry involved in getting the thing to spin is going to be cost-effective and trouble-free? Isn’t the fact that there are no real-world working models a blindingly bright red flag?
Yikes.
I fully agree, whilst it is possible that the spinning technology will keep the cells cooler and so a little more efficient, it seems to me that the additional mechanical complexity and parasitic load of the motor will more than offset any savings.
I would much rather deal with the heat issue by water cooling either an otherwise standard panel as made by the Turkish firm Solinpeks, alternatively Low concentration technology such as used by by Absolicon of Sweden, or high concentration PVT such as that produced by Zenith Solar of Israel – all of which make use of solar energy not converted to power to make hot water.