2. Power Conversion
Per Vendors at Building Technology ’06, only two real manufacturers of off-grid electrical converters
Beacon Power
Outback
Contact initiated, waiting on reply
Wilmington, MA firm

3. Power Conversion Cont’d
Outback Power
Sponsored 9 teams in 2005

4. Outback Specs

5. ThermoAcoustic Generator
Fellowes Research Group
Prototype built, working on producing for market
TAC <$.25/W Capital Cost
MEMS – TAR <$.1/W
TAC - Engine
MEMS – TAR Solid State
Heat Here

6. Thermo Electrics Higher Capital Costs but Lower Life Cycle Costs1
Kryotherm TGMs generate electrical power up to 10 Watts per TGM at 6 V dc and at 100˚ C temperature difference.
P = Qh – Qc = I2× R ~ D T 2 1

7. Hi-Z Thermo Electrics HZ-2 2.5 W@ 3.3 V HZ-9 9 W@ 3.3 V
4.5% efficient
$46 / module (small batch)
HZ V
4.5% efficient
$131 / module (small batch)
HZ V
4.5% efficient
$154 / module (small batch)

8. Kryotherm Thermoelectric Generators

9. Varmaraf Thermator A Can be cooled by air only at a power loss
Indoors at 20C with 75C water supply, produces 2.5W at 12V

10. Building Technology ‘06 Solar Thermal
Several vendors recommend Solar Thermal over PV
Vendor Contacts:
Schuco – Larry Waitz
Solar Water Heating Workshop
Friday, , $85 / person
Ascendent Solar – John Tabb
Combined PV and Solar Thermal
Oventrop – Joseph Walsh

11. Ascendent Energy Combine PV and Solar Thermal
Use angled approach to maximize collection

12. Schuco
Vendor recommends LA Collector – piping runs vertical and horizontal
Premium solar thermal collector with high quality "Sunselect" absorber coating for very high efficiency and optimized thermal insulation to guarantee low energy loss. SRCC-certified collector thermal performance on a clear day: 33 MJ per day/31 BTU per day (rating in category C).
Standard frame color silver aluminum, other colors available on request. Absorber surface 27.1 sqft., gross area 29 sqft.