SHEC Labs Takes First for Most Efficient Solar Concentration

Written by Jaymi Heimbuch

Wednesday, 23 July 2008

Solar Hydrogen Energy Corporation (SHEC) Labs has launched themselves into first place for the world’s most efficient solar thermal technology developed so far. They’ve created a solar concentrator and receiver that can concentrate solar energy up to 5,000 times the usual intensity of sunlight hitting the earth, making the sunlight nearly as hot as the surface from which it arrives. The 11,000° F heat can melt metal instantly if the concentrated sunlight is focused on it. This tops MITs solar concentration project that can concentrate light to 1,000 times its intensity, but this system uses cheap, widely available materials.

SHEC Labs uses one-foot-square parabolic mirrors held in a frame. A cylindrical tube with an aperture is painted with a highly reflective coating and acts as a solar receiver. Sunlight entering the aperture bounces around, with 95% of the energy eventually being absorbed by the tube.

If built at commercial scale SHEC Labs believes they can reach concentrations of 11,000 to 16,000 times the intensity of the sun’s light. With this kind of solar thermal power generated, the applications are widespread – from heating to water distillation, to converting methane from landfills into hydrogen and syngas, as well as hythane to run vehicles that use natural gas. While the technology has been a long time coming, it is getting utilized pretty quickly – a landfill in Texans is already implementing the system and will be able to fuel 5,000 vehicles on its fleet per year. Additionally, SHEC has cinched a deal to generate 3 GW to be divided among 6 solar farms beginning overseas this year. While the system is costly to get up and running, pay back is expected in 5 to 15 years – pretty darn quick, relatively speaking.

Considering the growing interest in solar thermal projects, from the DOE investing $60 million on developing solar thermal technologies to Ausra opening a new factory to produce parts for their solar thermal projects, it seems likely that this new breakthrough has guns and will travel.

Via GoodCleanTech, PESN, GreenLaunches

Comments (7)

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written by Kevin , July 24, 2008

This is so awesome...

Slightly confused
written by Clinch , July 25, 2008

Isn't the level of light concentration due to the mirror that focuses the light, rather than what it's focused in too?

Can someone explain, because I just don't see the awesomeness of this.

We do what we must, because we can.
written by ryanknapper , July 25, 2008

Brought to you by Aperture Science.

yes it's the mirrors
written by Geopilot , July 25, 2008

Yes it is the mirrors. more mirros mean more concentration.

they do however have a unique way of capturing that concentrated energy which is hard to do with out melting the capture device.

However you could capture the same total energy if you spread the capture device over a larger area.

by the way three hurricanes visible yesterday on
www.globalboiling.com

Unintended Consequences?
written by TheRoofBroker , July 28, 2008

I bet the military guys are already figuring out uses for this kind of intensified and focused heat

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written by Al , July 29, 2008

This is very interesting. Relatively cheap green energy. Who could ask for more?

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written by Total Solar Energy , September 15, 2008

"I bet the military guys are already figuring out uses for this kind of intensified and focused heat"

HAHA. i was thinking the same thing whilst reading the article. it's like something out of James Bond.

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