Holographic Solar: Could Be Cheaper
 

Prism Solar Technologies in New York has developed a proof-of-concept solar module that uses holograms to concentrate light, possibly cutting the cost of solar modules by as much as 75 percent, making them competitive with electricity generated from fossil fuels. Currently, the approach to overcoming this cost factor of silicon-based solar panels is to concentrate light from the sun using mirrors or lenses, thereby reducing the total area of silicon needed by between 25 to 85 percent less to produce a given amount of electricity. Reducing the PV material needed could bring down costs from about $4 per watt to $1.50 for crystalline silicon panels.

Prism Solar Technologies, Inc. manufactures a new type of photovoltaic module that uses transparent holographic optical elements in its design.  This innovative, patented holographic technology, collects and spectrally selects useful wavelengths from the sun and focuses them onto the cell to create electricity.

 

H0W DOES IT WORK?
Prism's solar concentration is achieved using a hologram imaged onto a transparent medium that is sealed between two pieces of glass.
  • The hologram is a patent protected, unique technology.  Materials used are proven, time tested, and have multiple vendors, minimizing business risk.
  • The fundamental science and engineering behind Prism's baseline design are credible and well-understood.
  • The concept of using holographic concentration for solar applications has been discussed in the techical literature since 1981.
  • Prism's approach is both unique and workable, and the hologram design is well-suited for a variety of PV applications.
 
 

Our patented technology spectrally selects which wavelengths we want and redirects the rest producing a cooler - more efficient cell....and it looks great too!
 

Multiplexed Spectral Confinement

Increasing the optical efficiency increases the structures ability to trap more of the light by better controlling the angles that the light is diffracted within the laminate.  Through this process, Prism Solar can tap the sunlight at its most advantageous point in the spectrum.
 
 
 
 

To contact the company go to:  http://www.prismsolar.com/pages/2/index.htm