Are Mirrors A Good Idea For Solar Panels

This may be a planar mirror or parabolic arrays of solar mirrors used to achieve a substantially concentrated reflection factor for solar energy systems.

Are mirrors a good idea for solar panels.

Normally solar panels are warranted for 20 to 30 years under strict circumstances based on accelerated testing done by the manufacturers. Using cgi for solar simulations such booster reflectors also known as mirrors or planar concentrators are not widely used because of concerns about warranties. Your can search for cpv or concentrating photo voltaics. With cpv the sunlight shine.

In 2009 scientists at the national renewable energy laboratory nrel and skyfuel teamed to develop large curved sheets of metal that have the potential to be 30 less expensive than today s best collectors of concentrated solar power by replacing glass based models with a silver polymer sheet that has the same performance as the heavy glass mirrors but at much lower cost and weight. Thermata s system is designed to be smaller lighter and operate wirelessly. Cpv is not yet competitive in price with standard flat solar panels and it has the disadvantage that it requires direct sunlight. Some light will be lost due to imperfect reflection and geometry.

The concept of using mirrors to focus light on a photovoltaic cell has been considered. Using cgi for solar simulations such booster reflectors also known as mirrors or planar concentrators are not widely used because of concerns about warranties. Normally solar panels are. A solar mirror contains a substrate with a reflective layer for reflecting the solar energy and in most cases an interference layer.

It is already being done. A study showed that reflectors on solar panels can increase their performance by up to 30 the continuing drop in cost for home solar power generation has led to a dramatic increase in the rate of installations for both residential and commercial use. It also is much easier to deploy and install. Placing mirrors either side of the panel to reflect doesn t work well because as the sun moves west it will cast a shadow across the panel.

The mirrors would barely be visible from earth and would block just 1 percent to 2 percent of the sun s light but that would be enough advocates of the schemes say to cool the planet. Increasing the yield through reflection could make that an even m.