Posted Thursday, June 7, 2018

Spherical Solar Collector Makes Waves in Germany

At Urban Solar, we like keeping up with the latest trends and developments within the solar power industry. So, when we heard about this spherical solar collector in Germany, we sat up and took notice. Andre Broessel, an engineer in Germany, believes that his new solar collector design can generate more PV energy than traditional systems, thanks to the unique design incorporating a large, translucent sphere.

The idea is that the massive, glass marble-looking globe focuses the sun’s rays in a way similar to a magnifying glass when held at an angle. According to the laws of physics, this phenomena is called light refraction, a technical term used to refer to the bending of light as it passes through a medium. If this device can truly bring more solar rays into a smaller footprint of PV modules, there could be increased net energy production.

However, the challenge becomes making this contraption cost-efficient. It could be that this new solar collector does in fact do a good job at efficiently harvesting solar energy, but it wouldn’t be worth it if it cost multiple millions of dollars to do so. For any truly innovative technology to become widely adopted in the solar power paradigm, it absolutely must be inexpensive to manufacture while also have something to add to existing systems.

Right now, it’s not entirely clear how well this new solar invention is going to fare. Even though the concept might be sound, the implementation of it might be more trouble than it’s worth. Still, the design concept is intriguing, and anything that might make better use of the sun’s energy is worth keeping an eye on as development continues.

For the best solar power systems that are available today (without the use of massive glass spheres), contact Urban Solar. Our team of solar power professionals are standing by to conduct an energy assessment for your home or business. When you’re ready to learn how much you could be saving by cutting your energy bills with solar power, contact Urban Solar. Regardless how big or small your solar project is, we have the resources you need to get the job done right. We look forward to hearing from you!