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Cool Stuff Bro

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Sat, 04/11/2009 - 12:34 — Mallard

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/246/

So awesome! Natural light anywhere you want. Post more cool green stuff if you so wish! I sure as hell am!

Comments

Sun, 04/12/2009 - 10:25 — Mule
Mule's picture

Note

Notice near the end where it says an estimated cost? The estimate is from two years ago, and these things still don't exist. What gives?

Wed, 04/15/2009 - 11:22 — Mallard
Mallard's picture

OCD

I'm at work so I can't really type too much but I have some ideas.

I think that they have actually been used but they don't exist in the state found in the article. It seems that they have moved away from being the only light source in a building and are now used as a hybrid system with normal lighting. It's also important to note that the cost probably comes from the work it takes to run these fiber optic cords through the building and the unit that tracks the arc of the sun. However, this is true of most solar technology. It is far from the easy/reliable solution it has been sold as. Maintenance coupled with relatively low efficiency (%20 for high end consumer models and %25-30 for things like the space station) makes solar solutions very expensive.

EDIT: Links ahoy!

http://www.nait.org/jit/Articles/grise122002.pdf

http://www.sunlight-direct.com/

EDIT MK.II: Lightsaber tomfoolery ahoy!