While Northern Hemispherians fill up on extra Vitamin D today, IBM researchers and Swiss engineers are looking to top off the energy needs of the planet. Using mirrored, solar tracking parabolic dishes, they’re prototyping a High Concentration PhotoVoltaic Thermal System (HCPVT) that concentrates radiation as if shined on by 1,600 suns. Dotted across just a small fraction of the Earth’s surface, the project has the potential to replace all of our fossil and nuclear energy. Pretty cool stuff.

Now go outside and enjoy the summer solstice.

10 years ago