The concentrated solar concept has been around for a while and is usually found on a giant scale in arid, sunny places. Now that technology is being scaled down and incorporated into a building exterior...in Syracuse, New York.
The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems is a public-private partnership focused on green building R&D and its $41 million LEED Platinum certified headquarters building was just dedicated this month. The center is currently testing a unique integrated concentrating dynamic solar window system on its south wall. The prototype system has 64 pyramid modules in an 8-foot square. Each module rotates, its lenses tracking the sun, focusing light onto solar cells. Water behind the solar cells cools them, which has the added benefit of creating hot water that can be used for radiant heating.
The cost must be pretty high since CASE didn't share the system's price with the press, but a prototype this beautiful seems like it's as much art as it is a functional power source. If the test wall can squeeze energy out of Syracuse's wintry sky then it might be well worth the investment.
Posts
