Cool Energy, Inc., a developer of combined heat and power generating systems, announced that Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) will be providing research and analytical support for the first planned pilot field installation in a commercial building located in Boulder, Colorado.
The company’s SolarFlow System is a combined heat and power (CHP) generation system sized for residential and small commercial buildings that uses solar energy as its only input “fuel.” The system has several novel features, including energy storage and a control system that apportions the system’s energy output between heat and electricity depending on the season and weather conditions (both current and forecasted).
Core to the system is Cool Energy’s low-temperature SolarHeart Engine, a specialized Stirling engine powered electric generator that the system activates whenever the electricity produced is more valuable than the heat consumed.
Under laboratory conditions of a temperature differential of 210ºC, Cool Energy said the SolarHeart Engine recently generated over 2,000 watts of electric power, and reached a thermal to electrical conversion efficiency of over 16%, exceeding expectations.
Sam Weaver, CEO and President of Cool Energy said having the support of Xcel was key to the development of the technology.
"Having such features as thermal storage and smart grid-compatible control of the energy produced, a significant scale deployment of the system has the potential for improving a utility’s overall operational efficiency,” Weaver said. “The system will not only provide substantial financial relief for homeowners, but also offset the need for utilities to add more generation facilities that are particularly costly during peak consumption periods.”
Winner of the 2009 Clean Tech Open regional Sustainability Award, Cool Energy has received grant funding from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and the State of Colorado Governor’s Energy Office.
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