I'm sure there's something out there like this already.

(Simplified Idea)

A Giant Magnifying Glass dircted at a giant copper or other heat transfering metal that has water ran over to produce Steam that turns turbines.

Or a smaller "Personal" Version?

~Troy~

Here you go:
http://www.klimaschutz.com/synth/sfc021001.htm

more on solar colletion techniques:
http://www.powerfromthesun.net/chapter1/Chapter1.htm

I will say, BE CAREFUL if you buy a giant Fresnel lens. The flat magnifiers are Fresnel lenses. I got one that's 18"x30" and took it outside to "play" with it, and I leaned it against a tree while I got some burnable stuff together in a pile. When I turned around, the mulch under the tree was on fire. NOT smoking, but FLAMES. You also MUST have welding goggles or a welding mask to use it. The Sun has a LOT of horsepower.

quote:

Originally posted by B.K. Hosken:
The Sun has a LOT of horsepower.

Think really BIG horse...

As I understand it, the biggest problem with solar power is tracking the sun.. even photoelectric panels only peak once a day when the angle to the sun is least.

A lens is going to be even more of a problem.. They make solar boilers but they use mirrors for it instead of lenses.. The one I saw a photo of was a central tower and it had mirrors all the way around it that focused all their light on the top of the tower.. It heated water.. It was a big machine..

Name that movie.. Sahara i think it was.
That Dr. Jones wannabee movie
Features a plant like you describe, only it was suppose to burn chemical waste (in the movie that is)

might be the plant you're talking about?

This links to one fresnell based solar concentrator, click "technology".

There is lots of discussion and info about this unit being developed by Charles Shults.

Do a general web search for "solar concentrators" to see differant types, mirror lens and trough concentrators seem to be more popular with do-it-yourselfers.

Home version

The Light Sharpener

And here http://www.junkyardsolar.com/

Personaly I would use an old dish for a concentrator since most of what you need is all ready built and (this is the best part) you can pick them up for next to nothing. I use the mount hinge and actuator for moving my array and got the solar tracker for it from here. It cost 40 bucks and runs the exsisting actuator just fine

quote:

Troy

Troy this idea has been implemented in Dubai and US already, the setups are huge, and it has started producing electricity also. i saw it on discovery