Eco Factor: New technique replaces glass reflectors with a metal one to reduce weight and cost.
The world today is looking toward possibilities that can lower the cost of renewable energy and make it comparable with conventional forms of energy. Researchers in Golden think they have a solution to lower the cost of renewable energy generated in concentrated solar energy generating plants.
Concentrated solar plants depend on the use of mirrors to focus light onto a tube containing oil, which when heated is used to generate steam and eventually electricity. The problem with the approach is the weight of glass mirrors and their cost, which has an effect on the cost of the energy generated.
The new research conducted at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has provided an answer to the rise in cost of renewable energy by using metal reflectors created with a silver polymer that will make the technology much lighter and cheaper. The researchers believe that using the technology can lower the installation cost by as much as 25%, which is quite substantial considering that the demand for green energy is only set to rise.
Via: The Denver Channel
