Dr. Nguyen The Hung from the Institute of Physics under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology said that many other countries in the world have successfully converted photo energy into electrical and thermal energy.

Dr. Nguyen The Hung has become the first Vietnamese scientist to do research aiming to manufacture a type of power generator that can convert photo energy into electrical and thermal energy. To put this type of equipment into practical application, it is necessary to prove its efficiency as well as the economic benefit that it brings users.

Basically, producing electricity from natural light is more costly than using solar batteries. However, many other countries which are located in areas that enjoy more sunlight than the rest of the world keep on investing in the utilization of natural light to produce electricity. Natural light is endless, so the manufacture of the above mentioned special type of generator on a large scale will reduce the production cost.

However, solar energy can be utilized only in daytime and on sunny days. Moreover, the utilization of solar energy in an area depends on many factors such as the radiation potential, the soil condition and the environmental status in that area.

A special type of generator

The research project aiming to manufacture a power generation system using sunlight (generators that run with support of natural light), headed by Dr. Nguyen The Hung, got started in 2008. Costing VND4 billion, the project’s objective is to manufacture a type of power generator that runs with support of natural light with a minimum capacity of 1 kWh. The implementation of this project lasts for two years. After they are manufactured, power generators of this type will be installed on some islands that cannot have access to the national power grid.

Power generators of this type run according to the principle of convergence of light to convert solar energy into electrical and mechanical energy.

It is calculated that each square meter of concave lens can absorb sunlight to generate about 1,300W of electricity. In developed countries, the sunlight utilization efficiency of light engines is 30 percent. So, from each square meter of concave lens, 400W of electricity can be generated, and from 100sq.m of concave lens, 40,000W of electricity can be generated. Notably, power generators with light engines can be installed in many places requiring no transmission network. They can be operated and maintained easily.

 By Hung Phong