Lead Performer: Glint — Burlingame, CA
DOE Total Funding: $1,080,000
Cost Share: $270,000
Project Term: 2016-2019
Funding Type: Building Energy Efficiency Frontiers and Innovations Technologies (BENEFIT) – 2016 (DE-FOA-0001383)
Project Objective
Glint Photonics will develop a stationary, roof-mounted concentrator daylighting system that uses internal optics to track the sun without external movement. Concentrated daylight is directed to light guides that transmit the light into the building interior, thereby reducing the energy use for electric lighting drastically. The system makes use of a new solar concentrator architecture, which concentrates the light in a roof-mounted stationary panel collector. This thin and flat collector panel uses novel optics combined with micro-scale tracking that allow the system to concentrate sunlight for >8 hours per day while mounted in a fixed position. The panel operates at an efficiency of >50%, and doesn’t require any external power or wiring. UV and IR are filtered out at the panel, to minimize solar heat gain. The concentrated light is transmitted through narrow reflective hollow light guides that only require small roof penetrations and provide flexible routing to deliver light into the building core.
Project Impact
BTO has a targeted outcome to reduce lighting energy by 50% for a 50-foot floor plate, and this daylighting technology makes strides toward realizing this goal. The daylighting system will offset 40%-70% of the building’s electricity used for lighting and could potentially generate a total impact of 0.93 quads by 2030. This technology is cost-effective, with a competitive payback window compared to other daylighting technologies. Its ability to capture sunlight and use it directly for lighting is more efficient and less expensive than PV-powered LEDs and provides high-quality full spectrum natural sunlight.
Contacts
DOE Technology Manager: Sven Mumme
Lead Performer: Chris Gladden, Glint Photonics