Jun 30 2008

Real Geniuses

Focusing light onto a small, special photovoltaic cell that can absorb large concentrations of sunlight -- bring on the giant ball of popcorn kernels.

Not unlike the 1985 classic movie, Real Genius, Discovery News reports that MIT students recently demonstrated their idea of a good time, not by cooking a giant ball of popcorn kernels with a laser, but by vaporizing wood through solar concentration. Cool.

While the means would surely seem to justify the end, these overachievers have loftier applications in mind. Starting the aptly named Raw Solar company to sell their patented dish design, the students plan to focus on boiling water to create 'wet steam' for industrial and commercial applications. In fact, it's estimated that the solar collector could generate temperatures higher than 1,300 degrees C (2,372 F), hot enough to melt steel. Way cool.

Far from the old magnifying glass trick, these real geniuses could bring about a cheaper and more efficient form of solar energy.

Posted by: Katie Romans | Comments (0) digg delicioussend to a friendprint entry

 

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Recent Comments

  • This is being rather generous to Lutz. 1. The "Volt", in no small part, will be targeted as a product to people who care about energy and environmental issues. These people don't embrace Lutz' antideluvian concepts of rejecting science. How responsible is it for a GM executive to be rejecting the science? 2. As well, Lutz didn't exactly sound too enthusiastic about the Volt itself. 3. And, GM public communications has 'defended' Lutz in rather absurd ways. -A Siegel
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  • This article is right on - small businesses have a huge role to play in sustainability. Not only do they add up in aggregate, but many small businesses operate in industries that can have a significant environmental impact depending on the exact practices, like dry cleaners, auto repair shops, etc. Green is also starting to affect the bottom line more and more, customers are increasingly voting with their feet for more sustainable businesses as can be seen from the growth of sites like http://www.ecovian.com. This is also a huge opportunity for small businesses to leapfrog their bigger brothers by being more agile in adopting these measures. -Emily
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  • Great entry, Katie. Love the level of detail you managed to get in there! Probably won't be able to compete with coal and oil any time the next decade, but definitely a great technology to look into! Keep it up :) -Rune (Norway)
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