Comments on: Google’s Solar Mirrors: If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourself

By: Google to Move Into Clean Energy Project Investing

Google to Move Into Clean Energy Project Investing — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:08:19 +0000

[...] industry — they’ve developed their own energy tools, invested in greentech startups and even engineered their own solar hardware. But at an event at Google’s offices in San Francisco on Monday night, the company’s [...]

By: Think Green

Think Green — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:45:19 +0000

Google definitely has their own way of doing things and it’s nice to see a large company putting their money where their mouth is and leading the way in developing a technology that the whole world could use.

By: Rise & Shine: September 14, 2009 | Sweet Solar Home

Rise & Shine: September 14, 2009 | Sweet Solar Home — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:59:44 +0000

[...] If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourselfv Partly due to a lack of industry innovation Weihl said that Google is developing its own solar thermal mirrors, which concentrate the sun for solar power plants, as well. [...]

By: The House and my brain are in Shambles: Episode 366 | The CaffiNation Podcast

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:24:51 +0000

[...] Google does Solar [...]

By: Earth2Tech Week in Review

Earth2Tech Week in Review — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:47:00 +0000

[...] Google’s Solar Mirrors: If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourself: If the cleantech industry isn’t delivering enough innovation, we’ll start building it ourselves, Google’s green guru Bill Weihl suggested this week. The search engine has a “handful of dedicated full-time green engineers” working on projects that could light a fire under greentech startups and utilities, and increase the level of innovation coming out of the green pipeline. [...]

By: Environmental Statements | Solar in Indiana

Environmental Statements | Solar in Indiana — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:01:29 +0000

[...] Google's Solar Mirrors: If You Want Something Done Right, Do It … [...]

By: Robin Podmore

Robin Podmore — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:55:42 +0000

Lower cost solar mirrors will be a big help to developing A LOW COST OPEN DESIGN FOR A SCHEFFLER REFLECTOR AND STIRLING ENGINE

The goal should be to develop an open design 1 kilowatt solar solution that can be assembled with mechanic shop technology, within a developing country for around $1000 in parts.

The Scheffler Reflector and the fixed position Stirling engine would seem to be an effective combination.

A Scheffler reflector is a parabolic dish that uses single axis tracking to follow the Sun's daily course. These reflectors have a flexible reflective surface that is able to change its curvature to adjust to seasonal variations in the incident angle of sunlight.

Scheffler reflectors have the advantage of having a fixed focal point.

A Stirling engine is a closed-cycle regenerative heat engine with a gaseous working fluid. "Closed-cycle" means the working fluid is permanently contained within the engine's system, which also categorizes it as an external heat engine. Stirling engines do not require a supply of clean water to make up the feed water as compared to a steam engine.

By: The Environmental Plenty Compared With Those Who Are Tested in the Sore Barren Arid Desert | Virgina Solar Installation

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:48:49 +0000

[...] Google's Solar Mirrors: If You Want Something Done Right, Do It … [...]

By: Horton

Horton — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:25:54 +0000

Hopefully Google puts these new “green” mirrors in better places than the companies they have invested in are putting theirs: http://www.basinandrangewatch.org/IvanpahValley.html