This Spinning Solar Cell Generates 20x More Electricity Than Flat Photovoltaics

Credit:
Credit: V3Solar

When one thinks of solar power, they usually conjure an image of flat panels installed on the siding of a house. But in the future, a spinning solar cell – like the one created by V3Solar – may be what comes to mind.

The intelligent – and rather elegant – Spin Cell cones aim to utilize as much of the sun’s power as possible. Reportedly, the present prototype has been third-party verified as capable of generating “over 20 times more electricity than a static flat panel with the same area of photovoltaic cells.”

The company Team Nectar is largely responsible for developing the Spin Cell solar panel. According to Inhabitat, the company behind the ingenious cell hopes the invention could be a game-changer in its market. The website for the V3 Spin Cell explains that if one places a 20x solar concentration on a flat, static solar panel, “the temperature quickly reaches 260 degrees F, the solder melts within ten seconds, and the PV fails. With the same concentration on the Spin Cell, the temperature never exceeds 95 degrees F.”

Credit: V3Solar
Credit: V3Solar

Explaining the innovation in full, it is written:

The Spin Cell™  is constructed of a conical shaped outer lens concentrator that provides efficient light concentration at a consistent focal width and focal range.  Due to the patent pending conical shape, by design the Spin Cell™ captures the optimum amount of sunlight during daylight hours eliminating the need for solar tracking and increasing electricity output.

Credit: V3Solar
Credit: V3Solar

One meter-diameter in size, the cone features a layer of hundreds of triangular photovoltaic cells positioned at an angle of 56 degrees. Each is encased in a “static hermetically-sealed outer lens concentrator.”

With the assistance of a “small amount” of its own solar-generated power, the cone spins and feeds a Maglev system which helps to reduce the noise generated by the cones. Additionally, the Maglev system reduces the need for maintenance.

Credit: V3Solar
Credit: V3Solar

The designers explain that the V3 has also conceived of a “Power Pole” which supports even greater solar power generation in a small space. They say,

“This is a pole that holds 10 Spin Cells, or 10KWp, in a footprint of 10 SF. The spin cells are placed with mathematical precision to make sure no Spin Cell shades another. This not only creates significantly great power density, but also removes the concern of floods and mitigates the environmental impact.”

Credit: V3Solar
Credit: V3Solar

Because the V3 cells take up far less space than traditional solar panels, the company hopes that with the reduced physical footprint of the cones, a dramatic reduction can be made in the total ownership of solar farms, “making more projects economically viable.”

A video explaining the innovation follows:

What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!


This article (This Spinning Solar Cell Generates 20x More Electricity Than Flat Photovoltaics) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com

Popular on True Activist