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Solar power at rock bottom cost

Concentrated Solar Power is currently the most promising and cost effective Solar power conversion technology. Compared to PV it offers the possibility to build large power plants with lower energy costs

ALE Airlight Energy SA, a company based in Biasca, Switzerland, has developed a revolutionary collector concept. Such concept has a parabolic trough configuration  but rather than  having thousands of glass mirrors supported by a complex and heavy steel frame; it uses a precast concrete frame and an inflated mirror film. More details…

 
Due to an extensive land requirement; low population, arid and desert areas are best suited for a power plant setup. Covering less than 1% of arid regions on the earth,  it would theoretically be enough to produce the total world energy demand.

ALE Collector


 


 

Collector cross section

  1. Internal secondary "non imaging" mirror
  2. Internal air receiver
  3. Trasparent ETFE foil
  4. Internal air pressure
  5. Internal aluminized Mylar film mirror
  6. Fiberglass-silicon fabric
  7. Concrete frame
  8. Tilting mechanism