Sneak peek of a crazy new rooftop (and highway) solar solution from Bolymedia

Bolymedia Holdings Co. Ltd., a global high-tech company headquartered in Silicon Valley, is debuting an interesting new system at the Chinese Renewable Energy Conference Nov. 3, 2016 in Wuxi, China —  the BolySolar Roof. In the diagram, the BolySolar Roof shows two application scenarios: one for buildings and the other for highways.

The patent-pending BolySolar Roof utilizes a reflective Fresnel lens technology to concentrate light into the focal area which can be mounted in the attic of the roof. The Fresnel lens can be linear or concentric, depending on the need of concentration ratios and the orientation of the roof. The above diagram is one of many mounting scenarios.

The company is pitching the following advantages of this type of solution:

• The BolySolar Roof cost less than an average rooftop solar system as well as a regular roof.
• This technology does not need a sun tracking system like other concentrated solar power systems and can be adapted to roofs of any orientations.
• The system not only generates electricity at 40 percent or more efficiency, it also provides a heat source and can eliminate traditional heating methods in a house. The Heat Utilizer can be a hot water tank that not only provides hot water, but also can warm the house during the winter.
• A more advanced Heat Utilizer can serve as energy storage, allowing total energy freedom for many of the residential and commercial buildings.

In addition to applications in residential and office buildings, the technology can also be applied to highways. Seems mild, but hey, this is the solar industry, where thinking big is the norm.

“In contrast to other solar highway proposals, we recommend a Solar Shade solution using our technology,” says Dr. Xiaoping Hu, CEO of Bolymedia Holdings Co. Ltd. “A Solar Shade is not only more economical than a solar highway, it is more durable, and 2-4x more energy efficient. Also, for a highway going east-west bound, or when there is heavy snow, rain, or fog, a Solar Shade makes the highway much safer. Sun-glare, snow, rain, and fog are the some of the many causes of accidents. A Solar Shade is a solution to these problems, and the cost of a Solar Shade can be paid off in two to three years from electricity generation and reduced highway service needs. With smart sensors, a Solar Shade can change the driving experience.”

— Solar Builder magazine

[source: http://solarbuildermag.com/news/sneak-peek-of-a-crazy-new-rooftop-and-highway-solar-solution-from-bolymedia/]