HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?

thehardway
thehardway Solar Expert Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
Just got an email from my boss who wants to know if this is for real and in production.

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/energy/blogs/solar-goes-hyper-in-the-us?hpt=Sbin

Thought some of you here may have some info. I checked out the company website www.HyperSolar.com and they appear to be legit, I've placed a call and I'm waiting for them to call me back.

Sounds too good to be true and you know what they say about that!

I'll post back what I find out when they call me.
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?

    From their News Page:
    So--If it works out (big IF), there will be a several year period for qualification/production...

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?

    Wonder how they'll deal with what I understand to be known about concentrating sunlight on PV cells, that their life will be shortened?
    And if as is shown in the picture, that sun hitting the whole panel is optically concentrated on two small strips of PV, then will these panels need to be used with a solar tracker to keep the light focused on those strips?
    · Share on Twitter
  • XRinger
    XRinger Solar Expert Posts: 529 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?

    Since I started watching news about 'Astounding' PV panel improvements (maybe 15 years),
    I've seen at least one of these Super New improved PV announcements come out about once a year.

    Then, you never hear about that discovery again..

    Look at their stock.. HYSR.OB it's selling for about 15 cents today.

    If there was any chance of their discovery being worth anything,
    their stock would be moving up a bit..
    Actually, if they had a working demo verified, investors would be all over it.

    Is is HyperSolar or Hype Solar ?
    · Share on Twitter
  • vcallaway
    vcallaway Solar Expert Posts: 157 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?

    And here I thought cold fusion was going to solve all our problems.
    · Share on Twitter
  • russ
    russ Solar Expert Posts: 593 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?

    From the lab to the rooftop can easily be 10 to 20 years - if at all. 99% of the time the great 'discovery' will go down the drain long before the commercial stage.

    Trolling the university websites is OK for the VC boys but for the rest of us it is a tidbit to think about only.

    Russ
    · Share on Twitter
  • XRinger
    XRinger Solar Expert Posts: 529 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?
    russ wrote: »
    From the lab to the rooftop can easily be 10 to 20 years - if at all. 99% of the time the great 'discovery' will go down the drain long before the commercial stage.

    Trolling the university websites is OK for the VC boys but for the rest of us it is a tidbit to think about only.

    Russ

    I agree with '10 to 20 years' to get a factory cranking out the new hardware,
    but many times the hype that comes with the great 'discovery', gives a very short time-line.
    The reason is just to bring in investment dollars. The promise of quick profits.

    If they are selling sock, but don't have any verified hardware on the lab roof,
    I'll bet in most cases, it started off as a scam from the beginning.
    · Share on Twitter
  • thehardway
    thehardway Solar Expert Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?

    I still have not received the promised call back from their Corporate. I am going to try again and will let you all know what the response is. My instinct says you are all spot on and this is still years from mainstream production and sales if it even makes it that far.
    · Share on Twitter
  • phred01
    phred01 Solar Expert Posts: 35 ✭
    #9
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?
    thehardway wrote: »
    Sounds too good to be true

    If u think it so then probably it is. Here are some basic limitations we get a maximum 1kw of energy @ ground level. Solar panel are around 16% efficient and if u want ones that are more then there is a hefty premium. If a concentrator and tracking device is required then for the ordinary user this is a nightmare. A simple tracker for solar panel will double the electricity o/p per day. The catch is it's cost is roughly that of another set of panels. Basically for domestic use it's better to double the array size and no moving parts
    · Share on Twitter
  • XRinger
    XRinger Solar Expert Posts: 529 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?
    phred01 wrote: »
    If u think it so then probably it is. Here are some basic limitations we get a maximum 1kw of energy @ ground level. Solar panel are around 16% efficient and if u want ones that are more then there is a hefty premium. If a concentrator and tracking device is required then for the ordinary user this is a nightmare. A simple tracker for solar panel will double the electricity o/p per day. The catch is it's cost is roughly that of another set of panels. Basically for domestic use it's better to double the array size and no moving parts

    "A simple tracker for solar panel will double"??

    That might be true in some locations. But at many sites, you will only get about 20% more power than a fixed mount.

    There is an on-line tracking vs non-tracking solar mount calculator (somewhere)
    that will tell you what the gain/loss will be in your area.

    Right now, my fixed mount works better during the late afternoon..
    http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f147/Xringer/Solar/shoveledout.jpg
    it seems to be casting a shadow on the tracker!! :blush:
    Another job on the list.. :grr
    · Share on Twitter
  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: HyperSolar- Increase PV efficiency by 400%?
    XRinger wrote: »
    "A simple tracker for solar panel will double"??

    That might be true in some locations. But at many sites, you will only get about 20% more power than a fixed mount.

    There is an on-line tracking vs non-tracking solar mount calculator (somewhere)
    that will tell you what the gain/loss will be in your area.

    PVWatts will run that calculation.
    · Share on Twitter

Categories