Be honest. What was the first thing that popped into your head when you read the title of this entry. Maybe it’s not as humorous as I’d imagined, but all I could picture was a contraption powered by balloons, and squeaky-voiced munchkins. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you’ve seen rooftop solar panels, or even depictions of the world’s largest solar farm. In this this case, energy is not derived from helium at all, but rather helium provides the lift required to float Sun Hope’s solar collectors for at least one year. By using this method, one could collect more than enough energy to power their home, all the while ruining their view. Could you imagine how terrible a city would look like if every home had one. Say goodbye starry nights.
The masterminds behind this award winning project have demonstrated that “a 10 ft balloon could yield one kilowatt of energy, which is equivalent to 25 square meters of solar panels. Their target cost is $4,000 per balloon, compared to the $10,000 it would cost for a solar field producing the same amount of energy. The solar balloons will last about a year without needing maintenance.” So although they might be aesthetically unpleasant, and a serious risk to aircrafts, Sun Hope may be an economically sound alternative to the panel variety. All things considered, it’s not my first choice, although I am optimistic that it is a sign of greener things to come.
