The Stirling-engine Sunflower concept is somewhat radical, because it is not based on photovoltaic (PV) cells and has moving parts. We believed that we could make this design much more cost-effectively than a PV-based system because it is simpler, more suitable for mass production, and uses significantly less energy in the actual production processes of the product. The product we created concentrates sunlight to a high temperature using very inexpensive and lightweight aluminized plastic petals that are each moved by microprocessor-based servo motors, enabling them to independently track and reflect the sun. This allows us to place a compact heat engine at the focus of these petals that generates both hot water and electricity and yet contain it all in a stationary, low-profile enclosure.
