Paul Passarelli

Solar Technology: Cutting Costs the Unsexy Way

Nuthin' un-sexy about reducing install costs. That's why we've examined the install issue closely. Our panels go up at the rate to hundreds of kW per man-day. Why? Because they are 8-12 ft wide and 20 feet long. How's that possible? They aren't PV modules, they aren't even PV.

Our concentrating thermal panels are in the $100 per m^2 price range and weigh about a pound per sq ft. By reducing the number of connection points by a factor of 30, it's easy to see how the cost of installation is slashed.

Since you want electricity, we bring that heat into an Organic Rankine Cycle engine and turn a real generator. Inverters used with PV modules last about 6-7 years and currently cost $800/kW. Generators have superior overload capability, last 30,40,50 years and cost about $50/kW.

Given those major advantages, you're likely to want to cover as much of your roof as possible, that's a natural response. What we find is that the limit you'll now be faced with is the building's existing electrical service, or your transformer vault.