Guardian has more than 30 years of expertise in creating high performance, durable mirrors.
In 1978, Guardian delivered the first set of laminated flat mirrors to Sandia –supplying a portion of the solar field. With the increased attention on solar energy, Sandia is upgrading their heliostats and has chosen Guardian EcoGuard laminated flat mirrors for the upgrade. Under the new contract Guardian will replace the entire field with EcoGuard laminated mirror. Guardian is the only company that supplied mirrors in 1978 to Sandia that is still engaged in solar glass technology solutions.
EcoGuard® Solar Boost laminated mirrors are designed to provide best-in-class solar reflectivity, concentrating efficiency and durability. With the thinnest laminated construction Guardian’s EcoGuard Solar Boost averages more than 94.5 percent solar reflectivity at AM 1.5 (ISO 9050). Similar to a car windshield, two layers of glass are laminated together with a PVB interlayer. A mirrored surface is contained within the laminate on the backside of the forward glass. In Sandia’s case, the front and back glass are the same size, resulting in a shorter transmission path and industry benchmark reflectivity performance.
EcoGuard Solar Boost also has been extensively field tested for proven durability and validated using numerous accelerated test protocols. The combined glass and PVB layers provide superior rigidity and durability compared to traditional monolithic glass systems. The laminated construction also results in optimum damping, wind resistance and reduction of subsequent field component damage.
“We are pleased that Sandia’s team of scientists and engineers selected Guardian EcoGuard laminated mirrors. We will provide the highest performance for their projects and we stand behind our mirrors today as we did 30 plus years ago,” said Michael Magdich, general manager, Global CSP and CPV, for Guardian.
The mirrors will be laminated at Guardian’s Galax, Virginia glass fabrication plant with glass produced at its Carleton, Michigan float glass plant.
For more information, visit www.guardian.com.
About Guardian Industries Corp.:
Guardian is a diversified global manufacturing company headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with leading positions in float glass, fabricated glass products, fiberglass insulation and other building materials for commercial, residential and automotive markets. Through its Science & Technology Center, Guardian is at the forefront of innovation, including development of high-performance glass coatings and other advanced products. Guardian, its subsidiaries and affiliates employ 18,000 people and operate facilities throughout North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Visit www.guardian.com.
EcoGuard is a registered trademark of Guardian Industries Corp.
Guardian awarded solar laminated mirror contract for Sandia National Laboratories project
First set of Guardian mirrors for Sandia in service more than 32 yearsAuburn Hills, Mich., October 12, 2010 -- Guardian has been awarded the contract to provide heliostat replacement mirrors for the test tower at Sandia National Laboratories’ New Mexico facility.