Cylindrical Solar Cells Set Broad New Energy Curve

摘要

Like time and money, the space on the rooftops of public and commercial buildings is a finite resource. Now, a curvy, new solar cell offers building owners and contractors an opportunity to make the most of all three. The system consists of dozens of hermetically sealed glass tubes containing a cylindrical core of thin-film photovoltaic material arranged in a 3.5 -ft × 5 -ft rectangular aluminum framework to create panels specifically designed for optimal performance on low-slope rooftops. Introduced last July by Fremont, Calif.-based Solyndra Inc., the cells are designed to catch more light as it hits rooftops from many different directions. "The cylindrical shape allows us to take full advantage of all the sunlight that strikes the roof," says Kelly Truman, Solyndra's vice president of sales, marketing and business development. "Because 360 degrees of the tube's core is covered in photovoltaic material, it can absorb both direct sunlight and the light from more diffuse sources, including light that's reflected off the roof's surface."