Concentrated sunlight is directed via an acrylic fresnel lens onto a high efficiency PV cell. The Suncube is mounted on a platform designed to track the movement of the sun during the day to ensure maximum efficiencies are reached throughout the day.
Factory Completed Suncubes
The You Tube Videos above have been provided for more detail
Factors involved?
Lower cost than conventional coal fired power. Main components supplied by Emcore, a high tech, high efficiency PV cell manufacturer.
What generation capacity is possible?
Plans are in motion to build up to 2GW of capacity increasing as additional agreements are reached.
Can this operate as a 24 hour base load power generator?
Due to the nature of this depending on solar energy this is currently not suitable as a base load supplier of electricity.
Has this technology been tested?
Yes. Current project status is building manufacturing facilities to ramp up production to 2 million units per year.
Which company builds these?
Solar cube technology has been developed by a winner of the Australian ABC's New inventors program. Green and Gold Energy has signed development agreements with a number of countries and is in advanced stages of building manufacturing facilities in Adelaide. The first production line is complete. Green and Gold have also indicated that 1GW/yr of production facilities are planned by 2010 with 20GW of manufactured panels a year by 2020. Current orders amount to approximately $400 Million dollars which is expected to grow exponentially with the demand for additional low cost, low emission electricity producing technology projected to grow considerably in the coming year.
Financial capital cost?
Current cost of a single 750kW SunCube is $1,800 installed. With a households full electricity requirements being able to be supplied by 5-6 SunCubes. With improvements in manufacturing process and higher production output, this cost is expected to come down.
Estimated return?
A single unit at $1,800 installed, produces 750kwh per year. Negotiations are underway with state and federal governments in Australia which will see a reasonable rate of return on the wholesale electricity price. Investing in Suncube farms is expected to be accessible via means of units in a trust. These trusts are expected to return over 12.5% P.A. over the life of the cubes.
Where is this suitable?
Better efficiencies are observed in areas of high concentrations of reliable sunlight, however provided the space is available, any open area is suitable.
What challenges need to be met?
The product is proven and in the factory build stage. The only immediate challenges relate to inverter technologies, which other companies shall provide. Storage is not anticipated to be a predominant issue as the solarcube farm philosophy is to supply daytime power only, not overnight load requirements.
C02 emissions?
1 Unit offsets approximately 3/4 tonne of C02 per year. Plans to build solarcube farms of 1000 plus units will offset proportionally emissions which would normally be generated by coal fired power stations.
Additional proposals?
Agreements have been reached with Zolar Distributors in Australia, Square Engineering in India, ES System Co Korea, AC Gava SL of Spain, negotiations are underway for licensing of this technology in Israel, USA and the rest of the world. GGE has applied for . Suncube has also announced plans for 1GW plant in Adelaide, and is in advanced stages of negotiations for an additional 1GW plant in continental Africa.
Green and Gold Energy have also applied for a licence to build a 750MW Suncube Energy Farm in South Australia.
Direct investment will be available in units in a trust. The trust assets will be significant sized solar farms (1000+ SunCubes). Individuals and superannuation funds will be able to invest in these large scale farms with a projected return of 12.5%. Alternatively community groups or utility providers can purchase quantities of these solar cubes as a means to supply their electricity needs.
