No, it is not an illusionist’ trick. China is actually using mirrors to develop solar power. Technology, which engineers have been working on in the US and China for the past two years, is to reflect sunlight on water to generate steam that runs a turbine which produces electricity.
As one of the world’s leading polluters (China and the US tie for emitting the most greenhouse gases of any countries), China is also a leader in the development of alternate sources of energy, in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels (oil and coal) and cut back on emissions.
China is already the world’s leading manufacturer of solar panels which it exports to the US and Europe. But now, it has taken another step forward and is experimenting with a new way of catching the power of the sun, by the use of mirrors.
Called “concentrating solar power” the new NO, it is not an illusionist’ trick. China is actually using mirrors to develop solar power. Technology, which engineers have been working on in the US and China for the past two years, is to reflect sunlight on water to generate steam that runs a turbine which produces electricity.
As one of the world’s leading polluters (China and the US tie for emitting the most greenhouse gases of any countries), China is also a leader in the development of alternate sources of energy, in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels (oil and coal) and cut back on emissions.
China is already the world’s leading manufacturer of solar panels which it exports to the US and Europe. But now, it has taken another step forward and is experimenting with a new way of catching the power of the sun, by the use of mirrors.
Called “concentrating solar power” the newtechnology uses thousands of mirrors, instead of solar panels, to capture the power of the sun, which then turns water into steam. The steam, in turn, runs a conventional turbine to create electricity.
A pilot operation is being built near Beijing by China’s Ministry of Science. And a joint venture between a California company and a Chinese manufacturer will begin building plants in a semi-desert area in western China which has the most consistent sunlight.
Production using this new technology will be cheaper in China than in the US or Europe since the equipment needed – the mirrors, turbines, towers – will be manufactured in China at lower cost than abroad, making concentrating solar power competitive with nuclear and wind power.
No laggard in the development of alternate energy sources, the Philippines is already number two in the world in the production of geothermal power (second only to the United States) and also ahead of most of its neighbors in the production of hydro power, wind power, and solar power. This past November, the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) switched on South Asia’s first central solar powered street lamps in front of the PNOC office at Fr. Bonifacio. On Corregidor Island, the light for the Eternal Flame sculpture, as well as street lights, are run on solar power.
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