I've seen #Heliostat devices for years. Always been interested in eclectic green tech. But I never had a NEED for one, until now.

Last fall, I installed a #MiniSplit #HeatPump & it was ALMOST enough to keep the back shed warm enough. But sometimes the coils froze up outside.

It now dawns on me (pun intended) that if I had a heliostat to reflect sunlight onto those coils in winter, it would MUCH more effectively pump heat into the shed. Right?

But here's the problem... (cont'd)

My #heliostat just died. It was so great to bring sunlight into the house. The light quality was just so much better than anything I've ever seen from a bulb.

But it was a crowdfunded project and this particular one can't be bought anymore. That seems to be the case for most of them I see mentioned online with the exception of some place in the Netherlands that seems way too expensive.

So I'm hoping someone out there knows of a solution that's still available?

As a hobby project, I've gotten interested in using #mirrors for heating and lighting purposes (and as an outlet for a bit of #climate anxiety). Just did a write-up of my progress over the last few months for the @LabB blog: https://www.laboratoryb.org/diy-seasonal-mirror-based-window-extender/

#solar #passivesolar #solarpunk #lightshelf #heliostat

Review and Gap Analysis of #Heliostat Components and Controls

https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/solarenergyengineering/article-abstract/146/6/061010/1201569/Review-and-Gap-Analysis-of-Heliostat-Components

#CSP #solar #thermal #concentrated

Endspurt der #BerlinScienceWeek

Wer noch nicht am Holzmarkt war, um ☀️AURORA in action zu sehen, der hat heute und morgen noch Gelegenheit dazu.

Morgen Abend gibt's dann eine amtliche closing party im Säälchen vom Holzmarkt.

#heliostat #kineticart

#Solar energy art ideas I'm playing with:

- Glass carboy filled with water and solar fairy lights in a south-facing window. Absorbs heat and charges battery during the day, radiates at night.

- A #heliostat shaped like a flower of something similar that reflects light into a north-facing window from my yard in the winter, and points directly at the sun in the summer to marginally reduce the earth's albedo.

- A wall-hanging made of matte-black soda cans for the heliostat's target.

#solarpunk