ISRAELI SOLAR CONCEPT FUNDED

An earlier post about this solar technology (BRAND NEW SUN IN ISRAEL ) noted the genius of combining a variety of elements in a simple, streamlined system to produce both heat energy and solar electricity. Now a real-world installation will prove whether its moving parts are practical and durable enough to sustain the promised 79% efficiency. More at: Di.S.P.

Solar Energy start-up DiSP raises $1.2 m; The company is developing a solar power system for generating electricity
Merav Ankori, 29 October 2007 (Globes)

WHO
Distributed Solar Power Ltd. (Di.S.P.) (Dr. Danny Kaftori, Cofounder/CEO, Professor Abraham Kribus, Cofounder/CTO); TN Ventures (CEO Tamar Naor); Aurum Ventures MKI Ltd. (owner Benji Kahn)

The module. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
DiSP’s unique concept in solar energy, a miniature concentrating photovoltaic (MCPV) unit that captures and concentrates the sun’s light and heat to generate electricity, has won $1.2 million in venture capital funding from TN and Aurum.

WHEN
- The company previously raised $300,000 an Israeli governmental program and $100,000 from an Italian solar energy developer.
- The company was founded in 2004.

What a rooftop installation would look like. (click to enlarge)

WHERE
- Di.S.P. is based in Migdal HaEmek, Israel. Sun is one of the things Israelis know well. The system was developed as a result of work done at Tel Aviv University.
- Di.S.P.’s concept is to have a rooftop filled with the small, durable, easy-to-maintain MCPV units.
- In areas of good insolation like the southwestern US, Spain, Italy, Australia and parts of China the cost could be 79% lower than utility energy prices, about 15 times better than flat panel photovoltaic systems.

WHY
- Naor and Kahn will join the DiSp board.
- The venture capital will fund an industrial-scale installation that will amount to a proof-of-concept.
- The system has 4 components: (1) a support/tracker system with 2 motors and transmissions for 2-axis tracking of the sun; (2) a glass reflector that concentrates sunlight at a focal point; (3) an array of photovoltaic cells and a heat absorbing plate at the focal point; (4) a control subsystem.
- Di.S.P. produces the highest levels of efficiency possible from solar cells (28-35% with 45% cells expected in 2007) and increases that efficiency to 78% by capturing and transforming the sun’s heat as well.

The efficiency over flat plate photovoltaics that comes from combining energies is impressive.

QUOTES
- Kaftori: "We are currently installing a commercial alpha (pilot) system...a demo 2.5 kW system with a high tech company with options to increase to 10 kW. Two other installations of 20 kW each are planned with two other high tech companies in Israel. Two more 10 kW systems are planed – one in Italy and one in Spain as part of our European program...
- Kaftori: "[With the new funding we will]build up the company by recruiting and relocating to a better site, build up the product management process, engineering for manufacturing, improve the design, R&D of next generation of systems, marketing and preparing for future installation, create manufacturing and supply infrastructure, make strategic partnerships with manufacturers, installers, and value customers, open front offices in key markets, increase IP portfolio, acquire next round of financing."