Plastic tubing made with Teknor Apex PVC compounds replaces traditional steel for more sustainable energy captur.
Teknor Apex has partnered with California-based Hyperlight Energy in the development of an innovative concentrated solar power (CSP) system to sustainably and affordably decarbonize oil recovery. CSP projects usually look like massive fields of mirrors with one tall tower in the middle. This new, unique American-made renewable energy technology is quite different and was just featured in Advancements hosted by Ted Danson, which recently aired on CNBC.
Traditional CSP projects have to operate at massive scale and can use a Golden Gate bridge’s worth of steel. Hyperlight developed an affordable and reliable CSP system, called Hylux, using domestically produced, recyclable tubes made from Teknor Apex PVC compounds. Hyperlight uses the Apex compound to extrude a hollow profile to hold the mirrors for the photovoltaic technology – completely replacing the traditional steel. The Teknor Apex PVC compound contributes to this sustainable solution while providing other key benefits such as UV stability – ensuring no cracking or degradation over time.
Photo Credit: Teknor Apex
Said Mike Patel, director of marketing at Teknor Apex Vinyl Div., “We were thrilled to work with Hyperlight on this project which ties directly to our own sustainability goals. Providing domestically-produced and recyclable PVC compound has allowed for a greener and more affordable alternative to traditional concentrated solar projects.” After more than a decade of R&D, Hyperlight has demonstrated the technology in multiple successive generations, at a fraction of the size of traditional CSP projects.
