Practical Solar Inc. (Boston, MA) has developed a new, proprietary concentrating solar power (CSP) system to harness energy from the sun. The small-scale heliostat system can direct up to 300 m² of sunlight onto a single square meter. The concentrated solar energy can be used to produce heat, light, and power for an unlimited number of applications, at only a fraction of the cost of other solar technologies. Several patent applications are planned.
In the prototype design, two hardware store-grade mirrors are mounted on a simple frame which, through the use of custom software and small electric motors, will track the sun and throw the reflection to a desired surface -- all day long. The system is particularly effective for coaxing extra energy out of a solar thermal hot water system.
The company is developing products to be used with the heliostat array to provide turnkey solutions for a variety of applications, including thermal energy collection, daylighting and light distribution, and electrical power generation. The company hopes to bring the cost of the unit down to $200 per 1 m² unit through various manufacturing efficiencies.
