Another iteration of looks-meets-efficiency has hit the photovoltaic panel sector and it’s shaping up to be a winner.
Recent innovations have seen a wave of solar setups with a focus on combining functionality and visual appeal, such as solar devices that resemble tiny, decorative leaves to a giant, energy-harvesting “crystal ball” that was created by an artist.
The latest is a spinning cone fitted with solar cells that looks so interesting that it becomes a feature on its own. The vibrantly-colored device becomes even more attractive when you consider that it delivers 20 times more electricity per cell than standard flat panels.
Spin Cell photovoltaic cones could be the face of the solar future
The solar company that came up with the revolutionary photovoltaic cone is V3Solar, based in Los Angeles, California, and founded in 2012. Nectar Design, which specializes in industrial design, got on board to collaborate on the fresh technology, and both believe that the cone could shake up the solar industry and spark a new wave direction of development, not least of all in aesthetic design.
The research and development team hasn’t done much to change the technology, but it’s how they’ve applied it so intelligently that’s resulted in the unit’s exceptional output using the same number of solar cells as flat panel systems.
V3Solar has named their device the Spin Cell, and an integral aspect of its functioning is the application of energy concentrators to the solar cells that are affixed to a cone-shaped frame. The whole unit spins when it’s in operation, eliminating the need for software and hardware to track the sun as the angle of its rays changes through the daylight hours.
Revolutionary solar cones deliver 20x the power of flat panels
The systems that we have come to know best after years of similar technology are flat-panel solar cell arrays mounted on poles and fitted with mechanisms and software to tilt and angle the panels to catch the optimal amount of sun radiation energy. The Spin Cell turns this soon-to-be-outdated idea on its head.
The shortcomings of previous systems attempting to apply solar concentration to PV materials involve the tendency of materials mounted on static fixtures to melt when concentrated energy is applied. So much heat is created that the cells cease functioning quickly.
V3Solar explained on their wesite:
“The temperature quickly reaches 260 degrees Fahrenheit, the solder melts within ten seconds, and the PV fails. With the same concentration on the Spin Cell, the temperature never exceeds 95 degrees Fahrenheit.”
V3Solar achieved this by mounting the cells on a spinning platform. This means that each cell only receives extra heat for a very short amount of time and then cools as the device rotates.
The benefits of solar electricity generation
Here are four good reasons why solar energy is one of the fundamental solutions among renewable power options:
- Low carbon footprint: Solar energy doesn’t rely on the burning of fossil fuels, which lowers carbon emissions.
- Clean and sustainable: Solar electricity cannot be depleted and it doesn’t produce harmful by-products.
- Energy independence: Countries that reduce their dependence on fossil fuels will develop more robust economies.
- Economic growth and job creation: The installation, operation, maintenance, and development of solar power systems create employment. Countries that manufacture and export solar equipment benefit from GDP revenue.
The generation of electricity from solar energy is essential as the world moves to new ways of producing clean energy, and a new focus on organic designs is generating a boom of aesthetically pleasing models. The Spin Cell is just one of them, and another is a tiny PV device that looks like a leaf.