New solar array provides a substantial gain in power

May 2, 2011
Solar Array

tenKsolar RAIS Wave commercial solar array (credit: tenKsolar, Inc.)

A significant advancement in generating solar electricity with reflected light has been announced by 3M and tenKsolar, Inc.

The tenKsolar RAIS Wave commercial solar array integrates 3M Cool Mirror Film 330 reflective material, enabling it to generate up to 60 percent more annual energy per square foot of rooftop than a typical installation with conventional solar, according to the firms At the same time, the technology substantially reduces photovoltaic (PV) system costs, and provides net energy savings to the building by reducing rooftop temperatures under the array.

3M Cool Mirror Film 330 offers low reflectance and minimal heat reflection. These features lead to a substantial gain in power from tenKsolar modules at a lower cost than that of conventional PV modules. In its first six months of production, tenKsolar shipments are approaching two megawatts of its arrays and has several megawatts of orders booked.