Kalahari Greentech, Inc., an energy company focused on developing, constructing and operating wind and solar energy projects, has received a pat on the back from Georgia Institute of Technology’s (News - Alert) Engineering Experiment Station.
The Georgia Institute has found the Solar Collectors at Kalahari were up to74 percent efficient, much more than the efficiency of commercial photovoltaic cells.
One of the nation’s top research universities, the Georgia Institute stands apart in its commitment to improve human conditions through science and technology. Situated in the heart of the city of Atlanta, the campus extends over 400 acres of land, and more than 20,000 students receive a technology-based focused education.
Georgia Tech tested the solar collectors in accordance with the procedures outlined by the National Bureau of Standards and provided the test results along with some general observations made during testing.
The study remarks that, “These tests indicate this collector to be capable of performing quite well and to compare favorably with high quality competitive collectors.”
As Photovoltaic cells can convert only specific ranges of light into electricity, photovoltaic panels can convert only 15 percent of the light absorbed into electricity, with the rest being either reflected back into the atmosphere orbeing converted into wasted heating. However, Kalahari’s Solar Collector uses all available wavelengths in the conversion process.
The test, which lasted all of four hours showed that the lowest recorded efficiency was 50 percent, and even this meant 300 percent more power than the average photovoltaic pane, implying a smaller unit with lower cost can produce more power.
Efficiency of a power generator system is somewhat proportional to the size of a typical installation, and this means that Solar Systems will be smaller in size when compared to a photovoltaic power system.
Based on the encouraging results of this independent test, Kalahari has begun the development of the Solar Tri-Brid system. The Tri-Brid is a standalone power generator, which will reliably produce electricity from sun power gathered by the Solar Collector, providing continuous, usable power.
Such standalone power generators are ideal for houses and farms in regions where it is difficult to install power infrastructure.
The trend toward renewable sources of energy is growing, and more than 60 percent of newly installed units in 2009 were in Europe with the United States following close behind with 50 percent.
Kalahari Greentech Inc. is an energy company focused on developing, constructing and operating wind and solar energy projects, either on its own or in partnership with other energy companies. The company’s main focus is to seek out opportunities to utilize its technology to develop renewable energy sources.
Mini Swamy is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Marisa Torrieri
