MIT prototype solar dish passes first tests

[LMagic007]

MIT prototype solar dish passes first tests

A team led by MIT students this week successfully tested a prototype of what may be the most cost-efficient solar power system in the world--one team members believe has the potential to revolutionize global energy production.

The system consists of a 12-foot-wide mirrored dish that team members have spent the last several weeks assembling. The dish, made from a lightweight frame of thin, inexpensive aluminum tubing and strips of mirror, concentrates sunlight by a factor of 1,000--creating heat so intense it could melt a bar of steel.

MIT prototype solar dish passes first tests - MIT News Office

[blackfoxtrade]

These are nothing but big words. Solar dishes like the one built in MIT have been in use for years. (here) And MIT is not the only one able to melt steel with sun rays. The solar furnace at Odeillo in the French Pyrenees can reach temperatures up to 3,000 degrees Celsius. And it was built in 1970. (here) I'm not trying to downplay the story or the students' efforts, but to me this is just another sensationalist news story.

[LMagic007]

I'm not sure anyone suggested it to be anything beyond what it is. Sure it's just a story about a bunch of MIT students. Sure it's not earth shattering news and it's been done before no doubt. In fact it's an MIT news story, so it's probably bigger news on campus than in the greater world, but it's good to see young people have an interest in this type of technology. The story is fairly recent, so I thought it was worth a mention and it might lead to other stories about solar energy research by MIT, perhaps of greater significance. You never know.

[blackfoxtrade]

LMagic, don't get me wrong - you are welcome to post news here, I just didn't like the subheadline of the article, especially the word revolutionize.

Low-cost system could revolutionize global energy production

[LMagic007]

No problems. Yes I know article editors can get carried away at times. The article did use the word could rather than would though, giving them some room to move. Perhaps it might have been better if they had discussed, apart from size, what particularly made their design special. It seemed to lack that more in depth technical information. i.e. what improvements in particular were made to the design. The article does discuss the solar collectors support structure / stand being reduced by smaller size and it being made of cheap materials, so there a re few hints there, but I guess they are keeping the rest quiet for now, possibly with commercial reasons in mind.