# Fresnal Lenses vs Solar Panels



## mongoose (Jan 14, 2009)

What can generate the most energy? Solar Panels or Fresnal Lenses?

If you did took a solid steel pole and strapped fresnal lenses all down it to focus a point on the pole it would superheat capable of powering whatever HP sterling engine you needed but with Solar Panels don't you get less energy?


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Placed at the focus of a parabolic mirror a Stirling engine can convert solar energy to electricity with an efficiency better than non-concentrated photovoltaic cells, and comparable to Concentrated Photo Voltaics. On August 11, 2005, Southern California Edison announced[60] an agreement to purchase solar powered Stirling engines from Stirling Energy Systems[61] over a twenty year period and in quantity (20,000 units) sufficient to generate 500 megawatts of electricity. These systems, on a 4,500 acre (19 km²) solar farm, will use mirrors to direct and concentrate sunlight onto the engines which will in turn drive generators.

Point Focus Parabolic Dish with Stirling engine at Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) in Spain.


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## zerocool (Jan 16, 2009)

That thing is sweet, how do I get one for my roof ? Maybe one day they can be as small as Satellite Dishes if they use a fresnal lense or some magnification on the other side of the parabolic dish.........


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