By Patrick O’Grady
Phoenix Business Journal
Southwest Solar Technologies is taking a step toward production of solar dish mirrors and designing a way to cut the costs in the process.
The company has released a patent-pending design for facets on a mirror and also is working on a proprietary mirror measuring system. Combined, the two would make it possible to manufacture mirror components and drive down costs for mass production, said Brad Forst, the Phoenix-based company’s CEO.
Southwest Solar has been working on a solar dish on a plot of land just off Interstate 10 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The dish, powered by an engine developed by Hampton, N.H.-based Brayton Energy LLC, is designed to focus the sun’s rays on the engine that will then produce power.
Mirrors are the largest component of the massive dish, and Southwest Solar has developed a technology that can handle better production of the mirror facets needed to create the surface.