The award-winning Sunhope project by Joseph Cory and aerospace engineer Dr. Pini Gurfil is a breakthrough low-cost easily-deployable system that collects solar energy with a minuscule environmental footprint.
Traditional solar systems require vast resources: high initial investments, large land requirements, and a complicated installation process. Sunhope avoids these barriers by constructing "low-cost photovoltaic arrays designed for vertical clearance rather than horizontal sprawl." Such a design has the potential to bring power to deserts, isolated islands, heavily forested landscapes and most importantly disaster and emergency situations thanks to their fast deployment and the fact that they can be delivered via air.
A 10 ft Sunhope balloon costs about $4,000 compared to the $10,000 it would cost for a solar field producing the same amount of energy.
Solar Balloons
Sunhope
Trend Themes
1. Vertical Photovoltaic Arrays - Designing low-cost photovoltaic arrays for vertical clearance rather than horizontal sprawl opens up new possibilities for solar energy collection.
2. Fast Deployment Solar Systems - Creating easily-deployable solar systems like Sunhope enables quick energy generation in disaster and emergency situations.
3. Low-cost Solar Energy Collection - Developing breakthrough low-cost systems like Sunhope makes solar energy more accessible and affordable.
Industry Implications
1. Renewable Energy - The renewable energy industry can leverage vertical photovoltaic arrays to optimize solar energy collection and expand into new locations.
2. Disaster Relief - The disaster relief industry can benefit from fast deployment solar systems to provide immediate power in emergency situations.
3. Remote Locations - Solar companies can tap into the market of remote locations by offering low-cost solar energy collection solutions like Sunhope.