Sunny forecast for hybrid lighting
Hybrid solar lighting moves toward commercialization in the U.S.
With 5 full-scale pilot systems installed and 20 more expected in a few months, hybrid solar lighting is moving quickly toward commercialization in the U.S., according to researchers who developed the technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Ten times more efficient than today’s most affordable solar cells, hybrid solar lighting uses a rooftop satellite dish to track and collect sunlight. These captured rays then get routed from the roof through a bundle of optical fibers to illuminate 1000 ft2 of interior room and floor space below. Preliminary field data show energy savings of 70% in the afternoon when electricity is in peak demand. Researchers say the units are projected to save ~$1/ft2 annually in energy and maintenance costs. Sunlight Direct, the company that licensed the ORNL technology last year, is targeting retail and office buildings, where as much as 60% of the energy is consumed for lighting. Current hybrid lighting systems cost ~$12/ft2, but with some design and engineering changes, “we hope to get that down to <$4 over the next year,” says Duncan Earl, an ORNL researcher and Sunlight Direct’s chief technology officer. — KRIS CHRISTEN
