Solar Cost Cutter
A highly reflective thin film made of microlayers of silver and copper, protected by a polymer and backed with adhesive, could cut the cost of solar thermal power plants by hundreds of millions of dollars. In most such plants, glass mirrors concentrate heat from the sun to create steam that spins conventional turbines. The thin film–which replaces those mirrors–reflects more light, increasing power output.
Product: 3M Solar Mirror Film
Cost: $20 per square meter
Availability: Spring 2010
Source: www.3m.com
Companies: 3M
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.
And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.