Preview
Identifier
Second Place
Creation Date
Spring 2024
Description
Every two minutes, the Earth receives enough energy from the sun to power all human activity for an entire year. However, most of the energy produced today isn’t from the sun. Over this past summer, I investigated concentrating solar power generation, specifically researching how to make it more efficient and cost-effective. Introducing the disk above: this is a test sample made from a ceramic metal mixture. What is so amazing about this sample, is that it is recyclable and produced by a 3D printer. In the future, we hope to 3D print entire sections of concentrating solar power plants. This production method saves tax-payer dollars, and this formulation of materials allows for the system to reach higher operating temperatures. When this technology is implemented, energy will be cheaper and more environmentally conscious to produce.