Concentrating Solar Energy
What is Concentrating Solar Energy?
Concentrating solar technologies typically use lenses or mirrors to concentrate sunlight to create significantly more heat and/or radiation that can be used in variety of applications.
Jetstream Utilizes Concentrating Photovoltaic Technology for Electric Generation
Concentrating Photovoltaic Technology differs considerably from traditional “non-concentrating” technologies such as those found in photovoltaic panels. Those panels utilize only the direct amount (one (1) sun) of energy at a given location. Jetstream’s proprietary parabolic solar collector makes it is possible to focus the sunlight to intensities of 800 to 1200 times those of normal sunlight. A concentrating photovoltaic system uses a dense array of high-efficiency solar cells. These solar cells are typically more expensive than conventional cells used for flat-plate photovoltaic systems. However, the concentration decreases the required cell area while also increasing the cell efficiency.
Concentrating photovoltaic technology offers the following advantages:
- Solar cell efficiencies are greater than 40%, with the possibility for even higher efficiencies
- No moving parts
- No intervening heat transfer surface
- Near-ambient temperature operation
- No thermal mass; fast response
- Reduction in costs of cells relative to optics
- Scalable to a range of sizes.
Jetstream Utilizes Concentrating Solar Technologies for Water Treatment and the Creation of Hydrogen
With a few alterations to the basic solar thermal platform, and the addition of advanced optics and specialized proprietary modules, Jetstream is able to harness energy from the sun in ways that allow its equipment to desalinate and treat water and create hydrogen. Through the use of the optics and adjustable focal points, the systems use varying temperatures to activate the varying technologies. Many critical industrial processes are costly primarily because of the energy and environmental costs that are imbedded in those processes. Jetstream has the ability to replace much of that cost with clean “free” solar energy.
Other Concentrating Solar Technologies
There are other competing technologies involved in the production of electricity, including:
Power Tower
Power Tower utilizes a large number of heliostats (flat mirrors) that are computer controlled to focus on a centralized receiver at the top of a high tower. High operating temperatures heat transfer fluids, which creates steam when contacting water and runs a central steam generator. While effective, these systems are very expensive and complex. Additionally, some of them require prodigious amounts of water due to the use of steam powered electric generators. This is obviously a serious problem in water-deprived areas, (such as those that offer the greatest amount of sunlight).
There are other competing technologies involved in the production of electricity, including:
Power Tower
Power Tower utilizes a large number of heliostats (flat mirrors) that are computer controlled to focus on a centralized receiver at the top of a high tower. High operating temperatures heat transfer fluids, which creates steam when contacting water and runs a central steam generator. While effective, these systems are very expensive and complex. Additionally, some of them require prodigious amounts of water due to the use of steam powered electric generators. This is obviously a serious problem in water-deprived areas, (such as those that offer the greatest amount of sunlight).
Linear Concentrators (Trough)
Linear Concentrators, often called Trough Solar, are parabolically shaped troughs that focus the sun on a tube typically filled with a synthetic oil. The concentration factor is limited to approximately 30 to 40.
Other Concentrating Solar Technologies have been developed (and are developing), however, they have not been commercially viable.
