Minnesota-based 3M is developing a highly reflective thin film that could make already cheap mirrors cheaper than before. It also means that the cost of erecting a solar thermal plant will go down by hundreds of millions of dollars since the soon-to-be developed mirrors for solar thermal trough technology will employ a sticky-backed polymer sheath – in place of aluminum – to protect a micro-layer of highly reflective copper and silver. The stuff costing about $20 a square yard would reflect more light and resultantly, will increase the power output too.
Where in most plants glass mirrors utilize solar heat to create steam that spins conventional turbines, the thin film that is supposed to replace the mirrors will be more energy efficient.
Via: CleanTechnica/TechnologyReview