Soliant Energy's Heliotube PV Panels - Solar Power at Half the Cost

Green energy is finally starting to hit the mainstream. We're literally on the cusp of a revolution in technology that will bring affordable, clean power to the masses. Case in point, Soliant Energy, Inc. has introduced a roof mounted solar panel called the Heliotube that tracks the sun throughout the day and concentrates light onto a small area, reducing the number of photovoltaic cells needed to generate electricity. In fact, Heliotube panels use 88 percent less silicon than regular PV panels. Silicon is the expensive material that keeps the cost of PV high, and more costly than grid power. So here's the best part: because the Heliotube is very efficient, and thus uses far less silicon, it costs only about half as much as a regular PV panel that produces the same power.

The result is solar power at about half the cost of traditional PV panels - a cost that makes it very competitive with grid power. Folks, this is not a pipedream. The Heliotube panels are set to begin production and start shipping to customers this year. Pretty exciting, isn't it!






Read a great article on the panels here: Technology Review.

Via World Changing

Image credits - Soliant Energy site