Harvestable Energy System for Use in Covered Locations

The objective of the proposed project is to develop a lightweight, robust, and modular system, capable of harvesting solar energy in areas with dense foliage cover in an effective manner. The system proposed will be able to reach a height of 100 feet above an average tropical forest canopy to deploy a solar array capable of generating 250 W under AM1.5G 1-sun illumination. In this proposal, MicroLink will evaluate and down select from two different deployment approaches. One will consist of a collapsible boom made of lightweight composite material that can extend to a forest canopy and a highly efficient solar array that can deploy at the target height. The other will consist of a ground based projectile launcher with a solar panel payload that will deploy once it reaches its peak height and then rests itself on top of the canopy. Both will feature a solar array with 1 m2 of active solar cell area, generating 250 W of power 24 VDC under AM1.5G 1-sun illumination.