Well, this may only be tangentially related to what I’m doing on this website, but I do think I make some good points– so here is goes.
I read an article in Popular Mechanics about a company that uses sunlight to create electricity using a Stirling Engine. Today I thought of a better design for their device. Since I really don’t have the capacity to build one on my own, I decided to go to their website and explain my idea. Here is what I wrote:
I was thinking about your solar collector that uses a Stirling energy to convert sunlight into electricity after I read the article in Popular Mechanics.
I believe, however that you could simplify your product and increase efficiency with a small design change. Instead of placing the engine at the focal point of the mirrors, a better solution would be to place a small convex mirror at the focal point which would reflect the sun’s rays to the engine mounted in a stationary position at the center of the dish.
This configuration would reduce the structure needed to support the engine, provide a shaded area for the engine to operate, and allow for easier access to the engine for maintenance purposes.
I was impressed with what I’ve read about your company, so I hope I can contribute towards your goal of clean, renewable energy.
Omar Lutfey
I have another idea I’m pursuing at blackremote.com. If you like my suggestion, maybe you could help with my cause 🙂
I’m not holding my breath for anything to come from this, but, hey, I’ll never know until I try. I’ll post any replies on this blog.