Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyGrey
I wonder, has anyone done research on concentrating light onto solar panels using mirrors or lenses? Mirrors are cheaper than solar panels.
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Yes people have done it, researched it, written books on it, sold products that do it, it is one of the best ways to get more power out of them, other then the fact that the power output drops as the temperature goes up, this is why they work so well in the north, when you have snow on the ground it reflects light, the air is also cold and the panels put out as much if not more then they do in the summer.
Now your next question is going to be on cooling them, this can and is being done but has it's own set of problems as water and electricity don't mix well, nor does water and mounting systems that can track the sun, it also adds another bit of complexity to a device that is simple and already lasts your life time.