24 percent of commercial energy end-use is used for lighting purposes, a very big percentage of which is utilized for lighting buildings during the daytime. Our idea is to use optical fibers to bring concentrated day-light into buildings so that significant savings can be made in electricity cost as well as CO2 emissions. This presentation was done as part of the assignments for Venture-lab, Technology Ventures 2012 course.

1. Team Exponent
Venture-Lab, May 2012
Fiber-optic Solar Lighting Systems
(Hybrid Solar Systems)

2. Commercial Energy
end-use
Adjustment to
SEDS
13% Lighting
24%
Other
6%
Cooking
2%
Computers
6% Space Heating
14%
Electronics
6%
Ventilation Space Cooling
6% 11%
Refrigeration Water Heating
6% 6%

3. How is light made?
Today

4. How is light made?
Tomorrow

5. Concept:
Hybrid Lighting System
Bringing sun-light in the buildings with
fiber-optics

6. Value Propositions
• Energy efficiency (200 lumen/Watt) compared with incandescent (15 lm/W) or
fluorescent (75 lm/W).
• Saving in lighting costs.
• Separation of light from heat providing options for heating or cooling as required.
• Versatile – Can be used in almost any lighting design.

7. The numbers
A sunny Area (e.g. Hawaii)
• 1 installation  8 hybrid lighting fixtures.
• Maximum fiber optic length (in 2007) = 15 m.
• Total illumination area = 1000 sq feet (93 m2)
• Glass based HSL systems = 40000 Euros
• For Plastic based HSL systems Projected
figure
Cost Element 2006 2007 2012
System Cost 15000 Euros 12000 Euros 2200 Euros
Installation 3000 Euros 2200 Euros 750 Euros
Cost
• Payback period = 2-3 years. (In Netherlands this could be greater than 10 years)

8. Components
• Parabolic mirror – 48 inch diameter (Estimated cost = 225 Euros)
Manufacturer = Bennett Mirrors, NZ.
• Sun tracking control board with accuracy of tracking the sun of 0.1” accuracy
powered with 12V/24V DC supply. Uses less than 2 W and can be run using PV.
Much of the research in this field has been carried out at the Oak Ridge national
laboratory and might be suited to be a licensing partner for our future company.

9. Features
• The lighting system will have the ability to switch to a conventional energy source
during the night time or when the day is cloudy.
• The mirrors used to concentrate light can be cooled using water or oil to strip away
the IR component of the sunlight, thus letting in only the visible light component
into the buildings. The hot water generated can also be used for different
purposes.
• The light can be switched off or dimmed using opaque or translucent blocking
shades

10. Testing Value
Propositions
• Discussions with 10 potential end-users, 1 technological and 1 industrial expert, as
well as 2 potential clients
• The idea was selected to be implemented in the pilot Green Village Project in TU
Delft which commences in early 2013: http://the-green-campus.com/wordpress/
The launch is going to be on 7th of June 2012. (http://the-green-
campus.com/wordpress/archives/green-village-launch)

11. Selected Customer
Comments
• The system has to have a clear economic benefit if it has to be adopted in a house-
holds. Buildings that run predominantly during the day - such as universities and office
buildings would derive the maximum benefit from this technology. Additionally, having
sunlight inside buildings is likely to increase productivity in these places. So that is an
additional benefit.
• It will be smart to integrate this system during the construction phase of the
buildings. The installation of the system will be much simpler in that stage.
• There is a big potential in the growth of this kind of a system for photo-bioreactors.
There is a lot of research currently underway (especially in US) for the improvement of
algal productivity for the purpose of food and bio-fuels. Penetration of light into water
containing algae is a huge problem in this industry.

12. Thank
you!
Sharan Nair
Ioana Bour
Bram Weerts
Derk Erbé