Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
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Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#2Bill Gross, Heliogen’s current CEO previously founded eSolar. eSolar proposed using an array of Heliostaticly controlled mirrors to direct light toward a solar cell:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESolar
So... that part of the eSolar approach is carrying over into Heliogen.
Last time this was posted the “AI” component of the play was less clear... But with an array of mirrors, in particular being to generate heat in some volume I guess a more complex feedback/control system may be required.
Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeillo_solar_furnace
"started operating in 1970", "Temperatures above 3,500 °C (6,330 °F) can be obtained in a few seconds".
See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_furnace
Not dismissing this press release, but at least some scale of progress should be used to compare against. Or state where the economical/industrial/regulatory innovation stands.
Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeillo_solar_furnace "started operating in 1970", "Temperatures above 3,500 °C (6,330 °F) can be obtained in a few seconds". See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_furnace Not dismissing this press release, but at least some scale of progress should be used to compare against. Or state where the economical/industrial/regulatory innovation stands.
That thing is the size of a building though.
Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#5Bill Gross, Heliogen’s current CEO previously founded eSolar. eSolar proposed using an array of Heliostaticly controlled mirrors to direct light toward a solar cell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESolar So... that part of the eSolar approach is carrying over into Heliogen. Last time this was posted the “AI” component of the play was less clear... But with an array of mirrors, in particular being to generate heat in s…
Are we talking about PIMCO Bill Gross here? If so, how did he wind up doing this?
Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeillo_solar_furnace "started operating in 1970", "Temperatures above 3,500 °C (6,330 °F) can be obtained in a few seconds". See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_furnace Not dismissing this press release, but at least some scale of progress should be used to compare against. Or state where the economical/industrial/regulatory innovation stands.
yeah the only problem is the useful heat is contained in a very small area/volume, so this is only a research facility.
Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#7https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeillo_solar_furnace "started operating in 1970", "Temperatures above 3,500 °C (6,330 °F) can be obtained in a few seconds". See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_furnace Not dismissing this press release, but at least some scale of progress should be used to compare against. Or state where the economical/industrial/regulatory innovation stands.
That thing is the size of a building though.
Granted. Size and lightweightness are definitely a point - that could be emphasized as a major argument - even the ratio with size & power capacity & heat intensity.
Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#8Bill Gross, Heliogen’s current CEO previously founded eSolar. eSolar proposed using an array of Heliostaticly controlled mirrors to direct light toward a solar cell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESolar So... that part of the eSolar approach is carrying over into Heliogen. Last time this was posted the “AI” component of the play was less clear... But with an array of mirrors, in particular being to generate heat in s…
Are we talking about PIMCO Bill Gross here? If so, how did he wind up doing this?
Different Bill Gross:
Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#9https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeillo_solar_furnace "started operating in 1970", "Temperatures above 3,500 °C (6,330 °F) can be obtained in a few seconds". See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_furnace Not dismissing this press release, but at least some scale of progress should be used to compare against. Or state where the economical/industrial/regulatory innovation stands.
yeah the only problem is the useful heat is contained in a very small area/volume, so this is only a research facility.
AFAIK the solar towers actually use molten salts to store the heat in tanks so they can keep going even overnight.
Re: Heliogen targets 1500°C solar thermal
#10Bill Gross, Heliogen’s current CEO previously founded eSolar. eSolar proposed using an array of Heliostaticly controlled mirrors to direct light toward a solar cell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESolar So... that part of the eSolar approach is carrying over into Heliogen. Last time this was posted the “AI” component of the play was less clear... But with an array of mirrors, in particular being to generate heat in s…
What exactly do you need AI for except for buzzwording? It is not as if the sun/earth trajectory or rotation speed is random. You can precalc with ease at every point which is the best position for each mirror.