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 Arch
Aluminum & Glass Improves Solar Mirrors for Renewable Energy
Industry
Arch Aluminum and Glass Co., Inc. has developed a new mirror manufacturing
technique to meet the demand for lower cost and more efficient concentrator
photovoltaic units in the burgeoning renewable energy industry.
The Arch parabolic mirrors optically focus sunlight onto a concentrator
containing active solar cell materials that convert the intense
light into electricity. The paint backing for these techniques is
lead free, which allows the manufacturer to mass produce environmentally
friendly lead-free mirrors capable of withstanding high temperatures.
"Coatings applied to parabolic-shaped glass in a high-volume,
high-production manner has never been done before," says Tony
Lawson, director of solar operations for Arch. This latest innovation
at Arch has the potential to help bring the cost of generating solar
power on par with coal-fired power plants, according to Lawson.
"We recognized the need for a cost-effective approach and are
proud to be the first to provide a product for this demand,"
he adds.
The new process for silvering and coating bent glass was developed
by a new division within Arch named Solar Command. In addition to
improving techniques for coating bent glass, the Solar Command production
team was also able to speed up the manufacturing process. The lead-free
nature of each product adds another sustainable dimension to the
work of the new Arch division.
"We now believe we have positioned ourselves to play a role
in accelerating the growth of the solar energy industry, and this
latest green product innovation shows we are committed to tirelessly
pursing sustainable technologies for our manufacturing processes,"
president and CEO Leon Silverstein states.
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