28: Super Firefly™ Photovoltaics

BHI Employs Super Fireflies™ to Power Solar Panels at Night

Roof Array of Solar Photovoltaic Collector Panels
Source: Wikipedia Commons

The BHI Center for Bioluminescence Research has successfully created a strain of Super Fireflies™ by cross breeding North American Fireflies with African Fireflies, resulting in a high Candela output and a Quantum Efficiency (QE) of over 96%.  Dr. H. C. Davis announced that hybridization thickened the luciferin substrate and quadrupled the amount of luciferace produced by laboratory fireflies.  By increasing the flow of oxygen surrounding the insects, the resulting Bioluminescent light was able to generate electrical current in a small photovoltaic panel mounted beneath beakers containing the BHI Super Firefly™ strain.  

The BHI Center for Applied Solar Technology has developed a system of clear Super Firefly™ raceway tubes that may be retrofitted over existing Photovoltaic Panel installations.  The design contains a manifold that distributes the insects as the sun sets.  Super Fireflies™ are housed in special climate controlled modules that provide the proper moisture, temperature and breeding environment for the insect colony.

Super Firefly Night Light™ Clear Tube Raceway 

BHI Super Firefly Night Light™
The Patent diagram on the left illustrates how the Super Firefly™ raceway tubes (b), duplicate the laboratory conditions by concentrating the Bioluminescence close to the active Solar Panel Photovoltaic Cells (d).  The Distribution Manifold (c) receives the Super Fireflies™ from their modules via a trap door that also injects a warm oxygen rich air supply into the raceway tubes.  Groups of Super Fireflies™ alternate throughout the night, thus providing valuable power for LED lights, battery recharging, and heat circulating pumps.

A winter zone model features double wall insulated tubes so as not to discourage the Super Fireflies™ from completing their circuits during the night.


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