Courtesy of photographer Phil Toledano, http://ptoledano.com
Article on Hybrid Solar Lighting "Let the Sun Shine in,"
Discover Magazine, Vol. 25, No. 07, July 2004

Hybrid Solar Lighting

HSL technology uses rooftop, 4-ft-wide mirrored dishes that track the sun with the help of a GPS receiver. The collector focuses the sunlight onto 127 optical fibers. The fibers, which can be thought of as flexible light pipes, are connected to hybrid light fixtures that have special diffusion rods that spread out the light in all directions. One collector powers about eight hybrid light fixtures—which can illuminate about 1,000 square feet.

Current ORNL Solar Technologies R&D:

• Hybrid System Components—including fiber optics
• Buildings Integration
• Hybrid Solar Lighting
• Photovoltaics Materials