Solar Powered Microturbine Test is Successful

Chatsworth-based Capstone Turbine Corporation recently announced that they have been successful in converting sunlight to electricity with a solar receiver driving a microturbine.


They did so with a product developed by HelioFocus, an Israeli company. The two companies are working together to develop a microturbine engine that can use solar power.


The HelioFocus Solar Concentrator focuses enough sunlight energy to provide heat to drive the microturbine.


Company executives maintain that this new system is more efficient and requires less space than traditional photovoltaic systems.


"The commercial Concentrated Solar Power product should compare favorably in cost to photovoltaic," said Mark Gilbreth, Capstone's chief technology officer.