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Hybrid Solar Lighting, def'n: A roof-mounted solar concentrating device used to focus sunlight for transmission via fibre optic cables to rooms where natural lighting is desired. The word 'hybrid' comes from the secondary light source that kicks in when light levels from the sun are insufficient - ie. on cloudy days or at night.

Original Home Design w/ HSL Lighting to Basement

* Although an open-plan design furnishes adequate natural lighting to the above ground floors, the basement wants for a natural, central light source. HSL provides the solution.


Welcome to the Bolt-On Light Power Blog!

The purpose of this blog is to invite comments regarding applications of solar lighting. If you are also interested in this subject matter, read on and feel free to help me out if you know of any sources, installations, studies, links, anything related that could help 'illuminate' my goal. In turn, please ask questions - compared to someone who knows nothing about Hybrid Solar Lighting, I'm already an expert!
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4 comments:

  1. Susan GarciaFebruary 7, 2010 at 10:57 AM

    Definitely an area worth researching. Does any one country set an example as a leader in use of solar energy in the home? Quite a few years ago, I met a researcher who developed a light "tube" reflecting light efficiently around an entire office. Are you looking into solar energy being transported to plants and people without being reproduced, as in sun lamps and UV lights? I'll watch for more information.

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  2. Bolt-On Light Power!February 7, 2010 at 2:34 PM

    Thanks for the questions, and any further info that you might wish to send Susan.
    To answer based on what I have observed so far, research papers on solar lighting have been authored by interested groups from universities all over the world. For example, the references on my blog came from researchers in Turkey, Malaya, Brazil, Australia, and the U.S.A. Everywhere wants to be part of breaking this technology out. Sweden is the home of a company called 'Parans' that looks to be actively selling working HSL systems.

    To answer whether the sunlight is reproduced - No, it is conducted during daylight hours and cannot be stored. Once installed, the system costs next to nothing for power to operate the small motors on the solar collector to continue tracking the sun.

    Thanks again for the interest!

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  3. Susan GarciaFebruary 9, 2010 at 4:05 PM

    Seems like Australia and Turkey would be naturals. Solar energy is being studied at the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax. I believe the Centre originated with Dalhousie University. Check out their research via Wayne Groszko 902-442-0300 solargain@ecologyaction.ca or google the EAC newsletter (which is where I found this e-address.)
    Another queston: What do the manufacturers of fibre optics for example contribute to the research? Or do they fund research?

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  4. Bolt-On Light Power!February 22, 2010 at 12:35 PM

    Sorry for the delay Susan. I have just sent an email inquiry to Wayne Grozsko at the EAC today. I am hoping that they will have some information about applications of Hybrid Solar Lighting in Canadian buildings. Thank you for the tip!

    At this point, I do not know if fibre optics manufacturers are researching or providing cable per specifications of the lighting system manufacturers. I can't help but think 3M, for example, would be both a provider of material and a research body themselves.

    Thanks again!

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