DODGY: TIPA: The World's Most Efficient Consumer Solar Panel

[EEVblog]

Up to 6 times more efficient than regular solar panels per area!

They assume that any photons that hit the panel and aren't converted into electricity are then reflected back out to then be absorbed by another solar cell! 
Apparently loss as heat absorption isn't a thing in their world. In reality reflection is well under 10%

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tipa/tipa-total-internal-photonic-absorption

https://www.tipa-tech.io/about-tipa

[EEVblog]

It's on Indiegogo too!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tipa-the-world-s-most-efficient-solar-panel#/

[Kim Christensen]

Did they really get a £560,000 UK government grant for this POS? 

[EEVblog]

Did they really get a £560,000 UK government grant for this POS? 

Yep:
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=105277

[EEVblog]

This isn't their only thing:
https://yellowstud.io/about-us

[EEVblog]

[EEVblog]

Other Kickstarters:
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/yellowstudio/created

[EEVblog]

Oh boy...

https://yellowstud.io/research

[Kim Christensen]

I think I figured out what TIPA really stands for:

Total
Investment
Pissed
Away

[Someone]

Cryogenic cooled solar panel, that sounds energy efficient 

[Haenk]

Did they really get a £560,000 UK government grant for this POS? 

Yep:
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=105277

Wow, that money cames easily and went fast, it seems.
Good news, however. More money is on the way, so more xxx, xxx and Rock&Roll. (Not sure about Rock&Roll though...)

[Kim Christensen]

Looks like the Nigerians got in on this scam too... 

[Haenk]

While being "in Nigeria", that seems to be a 100% legit, non-BS, company.
Not sure how they got entangled in this solar scam.

[thm_w]

The idea itself seemed unique, until you read that:

Different types of solar panels reflect different amounts of light. Below is a list of the three most common types of solar panels and the percentage of light that they reflect:

    Monocrystalline Solar Panels – Reflects between 0.2% and 0.35%
    Polycrystalline Solar Panels – Reflects between 0.25% and 0.40%
    Thin-Film Solar Panels – Reflects between 0.50% and 15.0%

https://shopsolarkits.com/blogs/learning-center/do-solar-panels-reflect-light

So, it would only be beneficial on inefficient thin film panels.

Otherwise look at the surface area and how many solar panels are inside that box. You'd definitely get more surface area than the top section if you just took them out and rolled them flat.

[SiliconWizard]

Did they really get a £560,000 UK government grant for this POS? 

Yep:
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=105277

This thing is a goldmine!

[PlainName]

You'd definitely get more surface area than the top section if you just took them out and rolled them flat

And they'd all be exposed at once (or, alternatively, not exposed).

But... if they were all rolled out they wouldn't fit in the same area. So I think the crux is whether a bunch of these fitting in the same area that a flat panel takes up gives any higher output. And/or whether they are less prone to drop-off as the angle of incidence increases.

Couldn't find any data on that, and one would expect that if they did perform better they'd shout about it somewhere.

[Haenk]

So this project made it to the YouTubes (in German) - and was absolutely destroyed:

[Kleinstein]

You'd definitely get more surface area than the top section if you just took them out and rolled them flat

And they'd all be exposed at once (or, alternatively, not exposed).

But... if they were all rolled out they wouldn't fit in the same area. So I think the crux is whether a bunch of these fitting in the same area that a flat panel takes up gives any higher output. And/or whether they are less prone to drop-off as the angle of incidence increases.

Couldn't find any data on that, and one would expect that if they did perform better they'd shout about it somewhere.

Solar panels (at least the crystalline ones) get better efficientcy at high light intensity. So spreading them out to get something like 1/4 the intensity each is counter-productive. Even if the absorb a little more light, the ouput may still be lower.  Things to reduce the reflection is a thing in modern solar cells. There are designs with an intentionally rough surface to capture a little more light still only a small effect.
Chanes are there plastic top is already reflecing more light than normal PV panels do.

It is a bad sign that got a government fund for such a BS scheme.

[Haenk]

You should really watch that video.
There is some knowledge to be found in there
In short: All panels are coated, to reduce reflection. "Re-usable" reflection is only 2% or so. So the TIPA concept will be less effective than simply covering the same area with plain panels.
However there are other cells under development made from "not Si", which can make use of other wavelengths than Si-based cells. One could create multi-layered cells, that could drive them up to 50%. (Nobody asked about the price of these though - not commercially viable right now, I guess...)
Second is a "solar concentrator" - large array of lenses to concentrate the light on little little cells; running them at 100x the normal intensity of sunlight (or even more) will be more efficient. I didn't know that. Heat is an isse, though. Of course this is a way more komplex construction, and likely more expensive than plain panels.

Well, the "upcoming" technologies have nothing to do with TIPA, which is still BS.

[Kleinstein]

Some 20 year ago the concentrator type panels were a real alterntive in some areas. The idea is using concentration and small high grade cells with multiple layers.  However by now the price for the normal panels went down quite a bit and they also got better. Concentration only work well with also following the sun and if there are no clouds / mist. Following the sun usually also means using less area to also work in off peak hours and less efficient use of the area.  By now, the fixed panels are matured and so cheap they are hard to beat.

[electr_peter]

It will not the first questionable solar project with lenses and prisms, that's for sure.

There was a TV program on space probe sent to the sun direction. Engineers mentioned that they needed very large solar panels for power (counterintuitive as it is going to the sun) because of extreme heat issue and limited cooling. The solution was to have massive solar panels angled not directly at the sun.

[MrMobodies]

Dive into the world of TIPA, the solar marvel that is revolutionizing how we harness the sun's power. With a solid £560,000 UK government grant and acknowledgement from global solar leaders

I wonder who these global solar leaders are that they are referring too.


So I see they are just putting solar panels in sun traps with reflective material behind it to try and generate even more energy but I thought that already happens inside the solar panel with reflective backing.

Bullshit buzzwords: "Sleek  Design", "Smart  Technology"  ", "Unparalleled  Solar Innovation", "Solar marvel".

It could have been done already so why they do have to call it "a technology".

It'd be interesting to see how this one turns out.

[SiliconWizard]

There's an elegantly efficient use of solar energy, that's called photosynthesis.

[mikeselectricstuff]

Must be legit, look at the 22 companies that guy is/has been  a director of :

TIPA TECH LIMITED
TOVENVOR TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
SSCCO2T TECH LIMITED
I AM GENIUS BUSINESS LTD
ENGEN TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
SMAP TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
I AM GENIUS LTD
QUANTUM COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD
CARBONYTE LIMITED
SYMBIO ELECTRICITY LTD
SYMBIO GAS LTD
GAS DIRECT SHIPPER LTD
ENERGY X TECH LIMITED
SYMBIO INNOVATIONS LIMITED
DO NO EVIL LTD
EQUITABLE SOCIAL HOUSING LIMITED
EQUITABLE SUSTAINABLE HOUSING LIMITED
YELLOW STUDIO LIMITED
STUDIO UP LIMITED
SENTINEL CYBER SECURITY LTD
GEOELECTRIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
SYMBIO ENERGY LIMITED

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/koV1FIQV3bcKEHlZu4H5_6vAEDE/appointments

[EEVblog]

Must be legit, look at the 22 companies that guy is/has been  a director of :

We are all underacheivers.

[SiliconWizard]

Must be legit, look at the 22 companies that guy is/has been  a director of :

Yes, that the hallmark of professional scammers serial entrepreneurs.

[Halcyon]

SENTINEL CYBER SECURITY LTD

I think SentinelOne would have issue with this one, that's assuming of course the bloke isn't full of crap and actually achieves something with his many "companies".

[fmashockie]

Must be legit, look at the 22 companies that guy is/has been  a director of :

We are all underacheivers.

Didn't you say always have a side-hustle??