Indoor illumination by solar light collectors

Abstract

An innovative system for illumination of internal spaces was studied, constructed and tested. The system was dubbed `The Sunflowers' because the solar collectors were designed to track the sun's position during the day. Each Sunflower includes sunlight concentrators, optical fibres and mechanical and electronic systems for sun tracking. A Sunflower lighting system has been successfully installed in a prestigious museum to provide internal illumination of showcases. Solar illumination is obtained by concentrating the sunlight into optical fibres, which guide the light in the interior of the building and realise the lighting points.