GreenVolts CarouSol

Solar start-up GreenVolts showed off its CarouSol for the first time publicly at the Solar Power International conference taking place this week in San Diego. CarouSol is one of several different designs for concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) where light is magnified onto high-performance solar cells to boost electricity output.

Pacific Gas & Electric contracted with GreenVolts to make 2 megawatts of electricity in an installation in California. The first 1-megawatt device, which will 300 times larger than this array, will go online later this year. One megawatt is enough electricity to supply about 300 homes for a day.

October 15, 2008 11:59 AM PDT

Photo by: Martin LaMonica/CNET News

| Caption by: Martin LaMonica