Google announced last year that they were working on new technology that would make solar thermal energy cheaper than coal. Just a few months later, they have a prototype and expect a product to be ready in as little as a year.
Google's energy czar, Bill Weihl, said the company is focusing on redesigning the mirrors, using alternative materials on the reflective surface and the substrate on which the mirror is mounted. The new technology could halve the cost of building a solar thermal plant and bring the cost of the electricity down to 5 cents/kWh or less.
The prototype is being internally tested before more rigorous external testing, but two solar companies, BrightSource and eSolar, are already interested in the technology. Google is a major investor in both companies and has said if the prototype works, the companies would use the technology.
