Compact Solar Concentrators Ready For Installation in Cali

Practical Instruments, a manufacturer of concentrating solar panels, today announced partnerships with three Southern California-based installers of solar power systems: Energy Options, Permacity Corporation and Advanced Solar Electric. The three represent the first resellers and installers for the solar product called the Heliotube. A Heliotube consists of 10 small solar troughs that rotate to follow the sun. The troughs are integrated into a panel that is the same length and width as a traditional panel (60" x 42" x 6") and weighs 45 pounds. The company says Heliotubes have two main advantages over conventional panels: they can catch the sun for longer periods during the day, and they require less silicon in their construction.

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I was super excited by this because I thought that slat arrays had hit the mainstream market. But then I realized that these things are not mirrors. It would be great to use those modules with mirrors instead of silicon solar cells! They are neat though still.