Solar Device Can Harness Moonlight

This was posted a few years ago (2011 - Above Top Secret)

But this is an awesome update, as it is actually happening instead of just being an idea someone once had... plus that thread didn't end on a good note....

SOURCE

As with any solar charging device, it is a great way to get off the grid. This one just does it better. It harnesses moonlight also!
Created by Andre Broessel, a German architect inspired by his daughter’s toy marbles, the Rawlemon design uses a spherical lens to concentrate sunlight on a small photovoltaic panel and combines this with a dual-axis pivot that tracks the movement of the sun.
According to the designer the transparent sphere is able collect and concentrate diffuse where traditional devices cannot and as well as providing an efficiency boost, they can be used in far more locations than their flat, fixed counterparts. It's also claimed that by concentrating the sun’s light in one area, the Rawlemon design reduces the solar cell surface required to just 1 percent of that required by a traditional panel.
Not affected by weather, or lack of sunlight, as it can harvest the light of the moon even.



I WANT ONE!!!!

a reply to: CeeRZ

Yep.. it's fine looking. i want two of them. Thanks for the update!

I look forward to this hitting the market.

Edit:

CeeRZ.. I just sent you a private message.. please check your mailbox

a reply to: CeeRZ

I am glad they got the ball rolling in practical applications. The fact that is ascetically pleasing to the eye should help.

Unfortunately there are groups of people that seem dead set against anything environmentally friendly to where they cringe at even talking about such solutions. Threads that talk about such things usually experience backlash against them.

You should add the info you acquired to this thread.

Climate Change Solution

Why is this better than a normal tracking panel? The only benefit I can see from concentrating light would be the size reduction of the panel itself, but this relies on the efficiency of the panels.

Diminishing returns are reached pretty quickly with standard PV panels. I assumed this was why you never see parabolic dishes being utilized in solar collection. On the same note, why is this sphere better than a parabolic dish? Geometrically you should be able to get more concentration in less space (and material) with a dish.

A sphere would always track so why the tracker? I used to have a crystal ball….sitting in my window sill. Almost burnt my house down.

a reply to: StoutBroux

The sphere will focus the light on a single point based on where the light comes in:



As the sun moves, that point moves inversely, so you would have to move the panels with the light beam.


My previous post illustrated:



Can anyone explain the benefit of the sphere compared to a parabolic dish?

originally posted by: StoutBroux
A sphere would always track so why the tracker? I used to have a crystal ball….sitting in my window sill. Almost burnt my house down.

I really should move that Paper Weight. Cheers for the reminder why.

a reply to: lemmin

Can anyone explain the benefit of the sphere compared to a parabolic dish?

Did you watch the video where the dishes were blown over?

CeeRZ wrote " ... it can harvest the light of the moon even."

Moonlight is less than 1/100,000th the intensity of direct sunlight ,
so you'd need a lens the size of the Arecibo dish to create a meter-sized spot of light as bright as daylight from moonlight.

No lens , no matter how big , can make energy.
Lenses can collect / concentrate / focus what light-energy there is ,
but lenses and mirrors do not create or multiply energy.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed.

a reply to: Grimpachi

Did you watch the video where the dishes were blown over?

Yes. These cannot be blown over?

It's the exact same as a tracking panel with a big ball on top of it.

originally posted by: Grimpachi
Did you watch the video where the dishes were blown over?

The stability of the frame is separate from the ability of the apparatus.

That 'sphere' is significantly dropping the efficiency.

Transmission, in regards to acrylics and glass, is highly dependent on thickness. The clearest glass on the planet suffers from a 1% drop in transmission per 3 mm of thickness.

If they had run with meniscus style lens, for focusing, they would greatly increase the overall performance.

a reply to: CeeRZ

They look beautiful.

More art than Solar device.

Wonder what he uses for cooling? Something active i'd think.

originally posted by: lemmin
a reply to: Grimpachi

Did you watch the video where the dishes were blown over?

Yes. These cannot be blown over?

It's the exact same as a tracking panel with a big ball on top of it.

Aside from a tornado or hurricane I doubt they are as vulnerable as a dish. Maybe you disagree.