News

Microsharp initiates Carbon Trust-funded project for low cost solar concentrators.

Microsharp has initiated a Carbon Trust-funded research and development project to develop ultralow cost solar concentrators for solar power applications, including the generation of electricity and the heating of water. Microsharp will develop optical films that will act as large, thin, lenses to focus light onto either lines where solar heating tubes or extended tube-like lightguides are placed or onto points for expensive, but extremely small and highly efficient silicon solar cells.

Microsharp is developing a solution where microstructured optical films will constitute the bulk of the entire solar concentrator system, offering light weight, low cost, easily assembled units suitable for use in countries with a lot of direct sunlight, such as in Southern Europe. The units will be able to be used in both utility and domestic settings.

Microsharp microstructured films offer the following potential advantages:

• High efficiency solar concentration
• Integrated film self-cleaning and water removal
• Reel-to-reel manufacture resulting in low unit costs

The two year research programme will be conducted with associate partners Whitfield Solar (www.whitfieldsolar.com), Hydrogen Solar (www.hydrogensolar.com) and Thermomax (www.thermomax.co.uk).

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July 2006 Newsletter in Adobe PDF

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