|
Turnkey
Solar Energy Systems Featuring
Call/email us: Tel. (832) 758 - 0027 Email: info@OrganicRankineCycle.com
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Organic Rankine Cycle
www.OrganicRankineCycle.com
Turnkey Solar Energy Systems Featuring
our Super High Efficiency
Solar
Cogeneration
&
Solar
Trigeneration
Energy Systems
What is An Organic Rankine Cycle?
A
Rankine Cycle is a closed circuit steam cycle. (Also - see
Rankine Cycle). An "organic" Rankine cycle uses a heated chemical instead of steam
as found in the Rankine Cycle. Chemicals used in the
Organic Rankine Cycle
include freon, butane, propane, ammonia, and the new
environmentally-friendly" refrigerants.
Why use a chemical refrigerant?
A refrigerant boils at a temperature below the temperature of frozen ice. Solar heat, for example, of only 150 degrees Fahrenheit from a typical rooftop solar hot water heater, will furiously boil a refrigerant. The resulting high-pressure refrigerant vapor is then piped to
an Organic Rankine Cycle
engine.
Why is it called "organic"?
"Organic" is a term used in chemistry to describe a class of chemicals that includes Freon and most of the other common refrigerants.
History of the Carnot Cycle, Rankine
Cycle and Brayton Cycle
What is the Carnot Cycle?
The Carnot Cycle has been described as being the most efficient thermal cycle possible, wherein there is no heat losses, and consisting of four reversible processes, two isothermal and two adiabatic. It has also been described as a cycle of expansion and compression of a reversible heat engine that does works with no loss of heat.
What is the Rankine Cycle?
The Rankine Cycle is a thermodynamic cycle used to generate electricity in many power stations, and is the real-world approach to the Carnot Cycle. Superheated steam is generated in a boiler, and then expanded in a steam turbine. The steam turbine drives a generator, to convert the work into electricity. The remaining steam is then condensed and recycled as feed-water to the boiler. A disadvantage of using the water-steam mixture is that superheated steam has to be used, otherwise the moisture content after expansion might be too high, which would erode the turbine blades.
What is the Brayton Cycle?
A turbine operates on the principal of the Brayton Cycle, which is defined as a constant pressure cycle, with four basic operations which it accomplishes simultaneously and continuously for an uninterrupted flow of power.
Rudolph Diesel was educated at the predecessor school to the Technical University of Munich, Germany. In 1878, he was introduced to the work of Sadi Carnot, who theorized that an engine could achieve much higher efficiency than the steam engines of the day. Carnot envisioned a cycle in which a gas is compressed, heated, allowed to expand, and then cooled. After the gas is cooled, the cycle begins anew. Mechanical energy is used to compress the gas and thermal energy to heat it. In turn, expansion of the gas yields mechanical energy, and its cooling yields thermal energy. The net result is conversion of thermal energy to mechanical energy.
Diesel sought to apply Carnot’s theory to the internal combustion engine. The efficiency of the Carnot Cycle increases with the compression ratio—the ratio of gas volume at full expansion to its volume at full compression. Nicklaus Otto invented an internal combustion engine in 1876 that was the predecessor to the modern gasoline engine. Otto’s engine mixed fuel and air before their introduction to the cylinder, and a flame or spark was used to ignite the fuel-air mixture at the appropriate time. However, air gets hotter as it is compressed, and if the compression ratio is too high, the heat of compression will ignite the fuel prematurely. The low compression ratios needed to prevent premature ignition of the fuel-air mixture limited the efficiency of the Otto engine.
Rudolph Diesel wanted to build an engine with the highest possible compression ratio. He introduced fuel only when combustion was desired and allowed the fuel to ignite on its own in the hot compressed air. Diesel’s engine achieved an efficiency higher than that of the Otto engine and much higher than that of the steam engine. It also eliminated the trouble-prone electric-spark ignition system. Diesel received a patent in 1893 and demonstrated a workable engine in 1897.
Today, diesel engines are classified as “compression-ignition” engines, and Otto engines are classified as “spark-ignition” engines.
We develop renewable energy projects, and specialize in solar power and energy project development. Our company provides the total, turnkey solar energy system "in-house." This means our capabilities and core competencies include solar project:
project identification
project analysis
design/engineering
finance (through investors and joint venture partners)
installation or construction
ownership (with PPA)
operations
maintenance and service or our solar energy systems
With multiple projects successfully completed and a large pipeline of solar projects now in design & under construction and presently range in size from:
100 kW to 90 MW
Our solar power and energy project development services and capabilities include multiple solar technologies, including;
for utility scale solar power plant applications.
And our Super High Efficiency Solar Cogeneration & Solar Trigeneration Energy Systems:
Solar Cogeneration Energy Systems
Solar Trigeneration Energy Systems
for commercial, government, industrial and municipal clients.
What
is a Power Purchase Agreement?
A Power Purchase Agreement is a legal agreement wherein our clients agree to buy either the power
(electricity) or the power and energy (hot water, steam and/or chilled water for
air-conditioning) - or both - directly from us, for a term of 10 to 20 years, where we have
installed, own and operate our solar energy systems.
In
nearly every case, once we have installed our solar
energy systems at our client's facility, we can immediately
reduce our (commercial) client's electricity expenses by 10% over what
they were paying for their power electricity from their electric utility.
The
right Power Purchase Agreement,
solar
cogeneration or solar
trigeneration energy solution, may save your company
hundreds of thousands, and possibly millions of dollars over the term of the
agreement.
Simultaneously, having the wrong or poorly drafted PPA can cost your company thousands or millions of dollars. You wouldn't consult a brain surgeon to treat your child's broken bone! Selecting the wrong attorneys, law firm or team to promulgate or re-negotiate your Power Purchase Agreement can leave you "powerless" and penniless - and still requiring the skills and expertise of competent and qualified professionals to resolve the situation.
Because a Power Purchase Agreement is at the "heart" and underlying foundation of our projects, we can help your business with the selection and oversight of PPA's.
We can help your city or community create a Municipal Utility District or Public Utility District that may then qualify for our very competitively priced energy and electricity rates. Now is the time for cities, municipal and governmental clients to consider having our company install one of our renewable power and energy systems that will generate "clean" power and energy, lower costs, and avoid the coming electricity shortages and grid congestion problems!
Products and services provided by us include the following power and energy project development services:
Project Engineering Feasibility & Economic Analysis Studies
Engineering, Procurement and Construction
Environmental Engineering & Permitting
Project Funding & Financing Options; including Equity Investment, Debt Financing, Lease and Municipal Lease
Shared/Guaranteed Savings Program with No Capital Investment from Qualified Clients
Project Commissioning
3rd Party Ownership and Project Development
Long-term Service Agreements
Operations & Maintenance
Green Tag (Renewable Energy Credit, Carbon Dioxide Credits, Emission Reduction Credits) Brokerage Services; Application and Permitting
More about Power Purchase Agreements
A Power Purchase Agreement is "behind" almost every power plant. A PPA is a contract involving the generation and sales of electricity - which is normally developed between the owner of a power plant generating the electricity, and the buyer of the electricity. PPA's can be quite lengthy agreements that may exceed 100 pages in length and take several months to even 1-2 years to finalize.
The
basic information contained in a Power Purchase Agreement include the
following items:
* Definitions
* Purchase and
Sale of Contracted Capacity and Energy (such as steam, hot
water and/or chilled water in the case of cogeneration and trigeneration
plants
* Operation of
the Power Plant
* Financing of
the Power Plant
* Guarantees of
Performance
* Penalties
* Payments
* Force Majeure
* Default and
Early Termination
* Miscellaneous
* T&C's
For
more information about Power Purchase
Agreements, call or e-mail us today.
Tel. (832) 758 - 0027.
Solar
Trigenerationsm
www.SolarTrigeneration.com
We install our Solar Trigenerationsm Energy Systems, for qualified commercial businesses, as well as cities, schools and government facilities with our Zero Up-front Cost program.
For some customers - based on their present location, utility company and electric rate - we are able to reduce their electric rate by 10%. Even more for other customers. Solar Trigenerationsm Energy System!
We provide the answers to your questions about solar power and energy!
Does your; business, city, school, or electric utility want a more sustainable solar power and energy solution?
Are you interested in transforming your facility, campus or building(s) to "Net Zero Energy"™ buildings?
Does your city or school have a problem with rising electricity and energy expenses, but not have the financial resources to provide the necessary updates and upgrades to make your buildings more efficient?
Maybe you have already decided to go solar, but you have a lot of questions, and don't know where to start. Call us, we have the answers to your solar questions.
What is the optimum solar solution? There are hundreds of companies in the solar power and energy industry..... Who do you call to help you with these questions to help you make the right decisions?
There's still more questions, that you may not have thought about..... which solar technology do you go with, and what is the return on investment?
Are there any solar rebates, refunds, tax credits or other incentives available?
What about investors that might be interested in owning/operating and maintaining our solar energy system under a Power Purchase Agreement?
You have numerous questions and need the answers to help in the decision-making process regarding the solar power and energy system you want to install. These decisions will have a long-lasting impact as the solar energy system that you install at your business or facility will probably be generating clean power for the next 40 to 50 years, if not longer! So, the decisions that you need to make now regarding your solar energy system will be a decision that will be either a long-term asset or a liability, depending on the equipment you select and who you choose to install it.
We can help cities, schools and commercial (and large residential) customers make the switch to solar!
And now, with our no up-front cost for our Solar Trigenerationsm Energy System, we can also transform your building(s) to a "Net Zero Energy Building"™ and many times, actually REDUCE your present energy expenses by 10%, and possibly more!
Examples of buildings/facilities where our Solar Trigenerationsm Energy Systems would benefit, include; universities, churches, data centers, shopping centers, schools, radio/television stations, food processing, warehouses, new real estate developments and subdivisions, and electric utilities - practically any commercial facility can be upgraded to one of our "pollution free power" systems featuring one of our solar energy systems, including our Solar Trigenerationsm system!
Call or email us, we can provide these answers. We are focused on providing the optimum solar energy systems for our clients. This begins with an initial review of your past 12 months energy/electrical bills. The next step would include a site visit which may include a Demand Side Management study and/or a Solar Feasibility Study which determines the optimum solar energy system for your facility or location. Once the optimum solar solution(s) are determined, we then have a blueprint to proceed that could include our installing one of our Solar Cogeneration™ or Solar Trigenerationsm energy systems. Or for a city, real estate development or subdivision, or an electric utility, one of our utility scale power plants which might be a Concentrating Photovoltaic, Concentrating Solar Power or High Concentration Photovoltaic power plants.
What is "Net Zero Energysm?"
Net
Zero Energysm - when applied to a home or commercial building, simply means that
the home or buildings generates as much power and energy as they consume, when measured on a
monthly or annual basis, and with an onsite, renewable energy system, such as
our
Solar Trigenerationsm Energy
System.
What is a Net Zero Energy Buildingsm?
A Net Zero Energy Buildingsm produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year. Net Zero Energy Buildingssm are very energy efficient. The remaining low energy needs are typically met with on-site renewable energy.
First of all, understand that there is no such thing as a "zero energy building!" EVERY building uses energy, or you may as well be in a cave!
The important considerations are,
1. How efficient is the building?
2. How much energy does the building use, and how efficiently is it used?
3. How much "carbon free energy" or "pollution free power" is generated by the buildings' own onsite renewable energy system?
4. What are
the utility company's prices for the excess power generated and sent to the
grid?
(see: Net Energy Metering)
5. How difficult is it to interconnect the renewable energy system of the building with the utility company's powerlines/electric grid?
At the heart of a Net Zero Energy Buildingsm is the idea that any building can meet its energy requirements from low-cost, locally available, nonpolluting, renewable sources, like our Solar Trigenerationsm Energy Systems. Our Solar Trigenerationsm Energy Systems are the idea whose time has come, to make Net Zero Energy Buildingssm commonplace.
Solar Trigenerationsm Energy Systems Provide All of the Cooling, Heating & Power, for Any Size Building, with only the Energy of the Sun. Solar Trigenerationsm Energy Systems Provide Simultaneous Cooling, Heating & Power whether it is 12 Noon, or 12 Midnight, and can do so, WITHOUT Connection to the electric grid!
The
Diagram Below Shows How Our Solar
Trigenerationsm Energy System Works,
for Heating and Cooling a Building (next to the Solar Thermal Collectors, are the PV
Panels, that generate the Electricity).

Our
Solar
Trigenerationsm Energy
System
provides
"Cooling, Heating & Power" for your business,
or home with the free energy of the sun!
What is Net Energy Metering?
Net energy metering is used to measure a customer's total electric
consumption against that customer's total on-site electric generation. When
a customer's onsite generation of power exceeds the amount that they use, the customer's
solar energy system (or other renewable energy system) exports the extra electricity to the
grid. When the power requirements of the customer exceeds their onsite
generation of power, the customer imports the electricity they need from
electric grid. The customer pays the electric company for any extra power they
use over the amount they generate - OR - the customer receives a credit or
refund from the electric company if they exported more power to the grid, than
what they consumed.
Much focus is placed on energy efficiency as the most cost-effective way to reduce energy use in commercial buildings. However, consumption can be reduced only so much. There is a point at which the cost of adding efficiency measures is higher than that of using renewable energy such as thin film photovoltaics and other solar energy systems.
Aggressive energy efficiency strategies can reduce a building's energy consumption by 50% to 70%. Renewable energy technologies must be used to reach the goal of a net-zero energy building (NZEB).
Various supply-side renewable energy technologies are available for Net Zero Energy Buildings. Supply-side technologies, often called energy producers, collect natural energy and transform it into a useful form. Examples of these technologies include PV, solar hot water, wind, hydroelectric, and biofuels.
All renewable sources are favorable over conventional energy sources such as coal and natural gas; however, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends the following ranking for these options (the lower numbers are preferable):
|
Option Number |
NZEB Supply-Side Options |
Examples |
|---|---|---|
|
0 |
Reduce site energy use through low-energy building technologies |
Daylighting, high-efficiency heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment (HVAC), natural ventilation, evaporative cooling |
|
On-Site Supply Options |
||
|
1 |
Use renewable energy sources available within the building's footprint |
PV, solar hot water, and wind located on the building |
|
2 |
Use renewable energy sources available at the site |
PV, solar hot water, low-impact hydroelectric, and wind located on-site, but not on the building |
|
Off-Site Supply Options |
||
|
3 |
Use renewable energy sources available off site to generate energy on site |
Biomass, wood pellets, ethanol, or biodiesel that can be imported from off site; waste streams from on-site processes that can be used on-site to generate electricity and heat |
|
4 |
Purchase off-site renewable energy sources |
Utility-based wind, PV, emissions credits, or other "green" purchasing options; hydroelectric is sometimes considered |
This hierarchy is weighted toward renewable technologies within the building
footprint and site. Rooftop PV and solar water heating are the most applicable
supply-side technologies for Net
Zero Energy Buildings. Other supply-side technologies such as parking
lot-based wind or solar energy
systems may be available.
The goal in developing the ranking was to encourage technologies that:
Minimize overall environmental impact by encouraging energy-efficient building designs and reducing transportation and conversion losses
Will be available over the lifetime of the building
Are widely available and have high replication potential for future Net Zero Energy Buildings.
Solar
Trigenerationsm
www.SolarTrigeneration.com
Now, Your
Business Can Have Our Solar Trigeneration™
Energy System, installed for No
Up-Front Costs!
Through an affiliated partner company, we are now installing our Solar Trigeneration™ Energy Systems, for qualified commercial businesses, nationwide, with Zero up-front costs.
Some customers may even see a decrease in their energy expenses by as much as 10% to 20% with our Zero up-front cost Solar Trigeneration™ Energy System!
To qualify for our no up-front cost Solar Trigeneration Energy Systems, businesses must:
Have a good credit rating
Agree to buy all of the energy generated from the Solar Trigeneration™ Energy System through a 20 year Power Purchase Agreement
Other conditions may apply, depending on location, state or utility company you are presently buying power from.
We expect ALL of our customers will be very happy knowing that the clean, green, renewable power they are using is:
More reliable than the electricity from the power company.
Saving the environment by reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and helping reverse Climate Change and Global Warming.
Generated from their own reliable Solar Power System on their roofs.
Saving Money! At today's published electric rates at Southern California Edison, TXU, Reliant and Centerpoint, most of our customers will also enjoy a SAVINGS on their present electric bills by as much as 10% from what they are now paying for their electricity from the electric utility.
Under warranty.
At the end of the Power Purchase Agreement, the Solar Trigeneration™ Energy System is then offered for sale to our customers, for $1.00. And then their energy savings really start to add up as the power and electricity generated from their Solar Trigeneration™ Energy System is free!
Solar
Trigenerationsm
is Here!
Solar Trigeneration Provides (almost)
Any Building - with all of its
Cooling, Heating & Power Requirements. Solar
Trigenerationsm
is also the Greenest Way to
Cool, Heat and Power your Facility -
whether that's a Hospital, Data Center, Office Building or University
Campus
Commercial, Industrial & Utility Customers:
Reduce or COMPLETELY ELIMINATE
Your Electric Power & Natural Gas Expenses!
Stop
Paying High Utility Bills to the Electric and Natural Gas Companies!
Let us Show You How You
Can
"Cut the Cord" to the Electric Company!
Our
"Solar
Trigenerationsm" Power and Energy Systems
Generate Carbon Free Energy and
Pollution Free Power
Which is Sustainable, Clean, Renewable and Affordable
Solar Energy Systems provides cooler, cleaner, greener power and energy project development services. Our Solar Energy Systems are an environmentally-friendly and economically-superior choice to expensive natural gas and electricity. Additionally, our renewable energy technologies generate "green tags" or a Renewable Energy Credit.
We
provide
Solar
Power and Energy systems that we refer to as "EcoGeneration"
solutions that produce cooler, cleaner, greener power and energy for our
customers and our environment. Unlike most companies, we are equipment
supplier/vendor neutral. This means we help our clients select the best
equipment for their specific application. This approach provides our
customers with superior performance, decreased operating expenses and
increased return on investment.
Our company provides turn-key project solutions that include all or part
of the following:
Engineering and Economic Feasibility Studies
Project Design, Engineering & Permitting
Project Construction
Project Funding & Financing Options
Shared/Guaranteed Savings program with no capital requirements.
Project Commissioning
Operations & Maintenance
Green Tag/Renewable Energy Credit Application, and Marketing
Net
Zero Energy Buildingssm
www.NetZeroEnergyBuildings.com

The Sun
Powers the Audubon Nature Center's Solar
Trigeneration
System at Debs Park in Los Angeles. The Audubon Nature Center's
building is one of the world's first "Net
Zero Energy Buildings."
The Solar
Trigeneration
System Consists of a 10 Ton "Solar
Absorption Cooling"
System
Matched with a Solar
Electric Power System
By: Monty Goodell, MBA
www.SolarTrigeneration.com
Los Angeles, California
There
is now a better, more efficient, “pollution
free power”
and "carbon
free energy"
solution for cooling, heating and powering homes and commercial
buildings where solar energy is available.
Solar Trigeneration is defined as the simultaneous generation of cooling, heating and power with only the free solar energy from the sun providing the "fuel".
Solar
Trigeneration is now
a reality at the Audubon
The Audubon Nature Center is totally powered by the sun’s energy and our Solar Trigeneration energy system!
The 5,300 square foot building operates entirely “grid-free” and without any electric connections to the electric grid, or natural gas connections – a truly sustainable power and energy solution.
Best
of all, the Audubon Center doesn’t rely on the over-burdened electric
grid or even natural gas. Therefore, the Audubon
Nature Center
NEVER receives an electric bill or
natural gas bill.... ever!
The
Audubon
Nature Center's 5,000 square foot
office and conference facility is powered by a Solar
Trigeneration
system that features a 25-kilowatt solar electric power system where the
energy is stored in a bank of batteries. The Center is cooled by a
10-ton solar
absorption cooling
system powered by an array of very efficient solar heat pipe vacuum tube
thermal collectors. The
collectors heat the water to temperatures of 200+ degree F stored in a
1,200 gallon insulated tank, another type of inexpensive battery. The Solar
Trigeneration
system at the Audubon not only provides the air-conditioning in the
summer but also heats the building in the winter, and provides the hot
water for the kitchen and bathrooms.
Absorption
chillers,
and cooling with solar energy with an absorption chiller are not new
technologies.
In fact, absorption chiller technology is over 70 years old.
The first refrigerators were powered by propane gas to run the
absorption chillers that used ammonia as a refrigerant.
Electricity and the electric compression chiller gained
popularity only because of the convenient “plug and play” appliance
and relatively cheap electric rates.
Electricity is no longer economically, or environmentally “cheap.”
History of Cogeneration and Trigeneration
Few people realize that the world's first commercial power plant, designed and built by Thomas Edison, was a cogeneration power plant that was first opened on Pearl Street, in Lower Manhattan, New York. That was in 1882! Edison not only generated, and sold electricity in the several blocks surrounding his "Pearl Street Station" but he also sold the hot water that was also generated from the cogeneration plant. The fuel Edison used for generating the electricity and hot water (cogeneration) came from "pulverized coal." The Pearl Street Station provided 110 volts of "direct current" power to 59 customers in lower Manhattan, around his Pearl Street laboratory.
Cogeneration is the simultaneous production of heat and power.
Trigeneration is the simultaneous production of cooling, heating and power.
Our company, in partnership with the Renewable Energy Institute and our affiliated partners, have perfected "Solar Cogeneration" and "Solar Trigeneration" which are the "heart" of our Net Zero Energy Buildings.
Unlike traditional cogeneration and trigeneration power plants that are fueled by natural gas - and Thomas Edison's cogeneration plant, which was fueled with pulverized coal, our Solar Cogeneration and Solar Trigeneration energy systems are fueled with the energy of the sun! And, while natural gas is a "cleaner" fuel, it still has its problems in that it is a limited resource and generates greenhouse gas emissions. Natural gas also have had extreme price swings and has a history of price volatility. Natural gas prices have gone from a high of $17.00/mmbtu to a recent low of under $3.00/mmbtu.
Regarding pulverized coal, yes, it's cheap in terms of the cost of generating electricity, but too many people forget about the "externalities" of pulverized coal that is not reflected in the "cheap" costs of generating electricity from pulverized coal. These costs not accounted for are the huge environmental cost relating to the use of pulverized coal. Pound for pound, pulverized coal and coal fired power plants generate more greenhouse gas emissions than any other fossil fuel. There are also the costs related to the health and safety issues of the miners that mine the coal. And, the costs to the environment in terms of the ever-increasing amounts of mercury that are "dumped" into the environment from coal fired power plants, is also not reflected in the "cheap" price of generating power from pulverized coal.
Unlike the problems inherently found with the use of fossil fuels, Solar Cogeneration and Solar Trigeneration have no such problems.
And talk about "cheap" costs of generating power and energy, there is nothing cheaper than free!!!!
The owners of the Audubon Nature Center never receive any monthly natural gas or electric bills!
And the owners of the Audubon Nature Center will never have to account for their greenhouse gas emissions, or comply with the ever-increasing regulations related to greenhouse gas emissions and the pending Cap and Trade laws..... thanks to our Solar Trigeneration energy system!
Solar
Trigeneration
is an EcoGeneration
solution. EcoGeneration
refers to a power and energy system that uses the “natural” energy
or fuel that is available for a specific site or location. Such energy
or fuel includes, solar, wind, BioMethane,
geothermal, and ocean power, including ocean tidal and ocean thermal
energy conversion. For
example, in the desert areas of the
Today,
the cause of the summer peak electric demand, electric supply problems,
and black-outs, are the result of the energy crisis in
Greater
Demands on California’s Limited Electric Supply, Lack of New Electric
Power Supplies, and This Summer’s Heat Wave are Compounding the
Problem Leading to the “Perfect Electric
Storm”
Many
people will remember the movie “The Perfect Storm” from several
years ago, when several storms came together in the northeastern part of
the
The
most likely time of year for a black-out in
How
Do We Prevent the “Perfect Electric Storm” from Occurring
in California and Other Regions in the U.S.?
Another
major concern is how do we prevent the “Perfect Electric Storm” from
happening, like the Northeast Blackout several summers ago, especially
for people living in the desert?
Governor
Schwarzenegger’s “Million Solar Roofs” program and the passage of
the 2005 Federal Energy Act will be the foundation to create a “Perfect Solar
Storm” to trigger the Solar Economy throughout California.
With
the threat of California’s seniors and elderly dying from heat
exhaustion due to power outages, black-outs, rolling black-outs and the
rising costs of electricity and natural gas, combined with the
continuing impact of global warming, the perfect solution is to create a
Solar Revolution by cooling, heating and powering the desert with solar
energy and technologies like Solar
Cogeneration or Solar
Trigeneration.
For
more information about Solar
Energy Systems, such as Solar
Cogeneration or Solar
Trigeneration,
call Monty Goodell at (832) 758 - 0027, or send an email to info@SolarTrigeneration.com.
The Audubon Center's new Solar Trigeneration
power and energy system
makes this building a "Net Zero Energy Building"
The Audubon's Roof showing
the Solar
Thermal Collectors, part of the
Solar Trigeneration
power and energy system
The heart of the Audubon's Solar Trigeneration
power and energy system
provides "free heating, cooling and domestic hot water," a
"net zero energy
building."
The hot water from the Solar Thermal Collectors
on the roof of the Audubon is pumped here for producing the building's
heating, cooling and domestic hot water.
Hot water is stored in the tank on the left for overnight.
What is "Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide?"
Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CuInSe2) is a material that provides an extremely high absorption of light ( 99%) to be absorbed in the first micron of the material. Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide is projected to be the revolutionary material that some are saying, could put typical "central" power plants and some electric utilities, out of business, as it will be much cheaper for customers to generate their own onsite power with Thin Film Photovoltaics made from these materials.
When additional small amounts of Gallium is added to Copper Indium diSelenide, this increases its' light-absorbing band gap, thereby making the solar panel more closely match the solar spectrum of the sun. This, in turn, increases the voltage and the efficiency of the Thin Film Photovoltaics solar panel.
Solar panels produced with Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide cells have reached efficiencies of more than 20% - which is much higher than the other Thin Film Photovoltaics.
Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide solar panels create more electricity from the same amount of sunlight than other Thin Film Photovoltaics panels. This translates into a higher conversion efficiency.
The conversion efficiency of Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide PV technologies is very stable over time, meaning its power output remains stable over many years, while the power output of many other PV materials can rapidly decline with time.
What are "Building Integrated Photovoltaics?"
Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) are solar energy systems that are integrated into a part of the building, that serve as the building's exterior or the building's skin.
Commercial buildings and facilities (including houses) that integrate their own solar power systems into the building's exteriors, are referred to as "power buildings."
The technology that makes this possible is "Thin Film Photovoltaics."
What are Thin Film Photovoltaics?
Without a doubt, the most exciting technology in the solar power industry is "Thin Film Photovoltaics." Thin Film Photovoltaics technology represents the next big thing in renewable energy and solar power as it integrates nanotechnologies into the production of solar photovoltaics.
According to the Department of Energy, the recent technological advances in thin film photovoltaics make this a very exciting time to be in the solar energy industry. These advances have led to many new developments in the components and manufacturing of thin film photovoltaics. This has made thin film photovoltaics cheaper to manufacture as they are also now easier to install since they are extremely versatile, flexible, bendable, and much lighter.
Thin film photovoltaics have led many to believe that as much as 50% of our nation's future power will be generated by "power buildings" that integrate "building integrated photovoltaics" or "BIPV" into the building's skin or exterior surfaces, that convert sunlight into "pollution free power" for use in the building. This also designates these buildings (and homes) as "Net Zero Energy Buildings" and make the option for going grid-free, or not connecting to the grid, a real possibility.
According to the Department of Energy, the market potential for printed electronics will grow into a $47 billion market by 2018. Thin film photovoltaics represents a significant portion of this market - and based on this heavily researched solar technology, thin film photovoltaics now represents a $20 billion/year industry in the U.S.
The solar PV panels produced under the thin film photovoltaics umbrella have the potential to produce power significantly cheaper power than today’s typical silicon-based PV panels. The panels are usually made in the form of a monolithic piece of glass, upon which various thin films are deposited, although a number of firms are working on depositing the materials on a substrate, such as stainless steel or plastic.
Types of Thin Film Photovoltaics – there are primarily three types of thin film photovoltaics and include:
Amorphous Silicon
Cadmium Telluride
Amorphous Silicon had the largest share of the thin film photovoltaics market through 2006. It has been researched for the longest period of time, may be the best understood material of the three and has been commercial for the longest. Cadmium Telluride has the remaining share and is growing.
Thin Film Photovoltaics Advantages over Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics
Lower cost of production of the
Lower production facility cost per watt - CapEx
Uses as little as 1/500 of the amount used in standard silicon cells
Lower energy payback – amount of time until the product produces more energy than was utilized in its manufacture.
Produces more power/watt
Superior performance in hot and cloudy climates
Integrates seemlessly in homes and buildings – see Building Integrated Photovoltaics
Produces the lowest cost power
Absorption Chillers
&
Adsorption Chillers
For Solar Trigeneration Applications
Absorption
chillers use heat instead of mechanical energy to provide cooling. A
thermal compressor consists of an absorber, a generator, a pump, and a
throttling device, and replaces the mechanical vapor compressor.
In
the chiller, refrigerant vapor from the evaporator is absorbed by a
solution mixture in the absorber. This solution is then pumped to the
generator. There the refrigerant re-vaporizes using a waste steam heat
source. The refrigerant-depleted solution then returns to the absorber via
a throttling device. The two most common refrigerant/ absorbent mixtures
used in absorption chillers are water/lithium bromide and ammonia/water.
Compared
with mechanical chillers, absorption chillers have a low coefficient of
performance (COP = chiller load/heat input). However, absorption chillers
can substantially reduce operating costs because they are powered by
low-grade waste heat. Vapor compression chillers, by contrast, must be
motor- or engine-driven.
Low-pressure,
steam-driven absorption chillers are available in capacities ranging from
100 to 1,500 tons. Absorption chillers come in two commercially available
designs: single-effect and double-effect. Single-effect machines provide a
thermal COP of 0.7 and require about 18 pounds of
15-pound-per-square-inch-gauge (psig) steam per ton-hour of cooling.
Double-effect machines are about 40% more efficient, but require a higher
grade of thermal input, using about 10 pounds of 100- to 150-psig steam
per ton-hour.
A
single-effect absorption machine means all condensing heat cools and
condenses in the condenser. From there it is released to the cooling
water. A double-effect machine adopts a higher heat efficiency of
condensation and divides the generator into a high-temperature and a
low-temperature generator.
Is an Absorption Chiller or a Geothermal
Heat Pump the Best Choice for You?
You have a combined
heat and power CHP) unit and cannot use all of the available heat, or
if you are considering a new CHP plant
Waste heat is
available
A low-cost source
of fuels is available
Your boiler
efficiency is low due to a poor load factor
Your site has an
electrical load limit that will be expensive to upgrade
Your site needs
more cooling, but has an electrical load limitation that is expensive
to overcome, and you have an adequate supply of heat.
In
short, absorption cooling may fit when a source of free or low-cost heat
is available, or if objections exist to using conventional refrigeration.
Essentially, the low-cost heat source displaces higher-cost electricity in
a conventional chiller.
In
Practice
In a plant where low-pressure steam is currently being vented to the
atmosphere, a mechanical chiller with a COP of 4.0 is used 4,000 hours a
year to produce an average 300 tons of refrigeration. The plant's cost of
electricity is $0.05 a kilowatt-hour.
An absorption unit requiring 5,400 lbs/hr of 15-psig steam could replace
the mechanical chiller, providing annual electrical cost savings of:
Annual
Savings = 300 tons x (12,000 Btu/ton / 4.0) x 4,000 hrs/yr x $0.05/kWh x
kWh/3,413 Btu = $52,740
Actions You Can Take
Determine
the cost-effectiveness of displacing a portion of your cooling load with a
waste steam absorption chiller by taking the following steps:
Conduct a plant
survey to identify sources and availability of waste steam
Determine cooling
load requirements and the cost of meeting those requirements with
existing mechanical chillers or new installations
Obtain installed
cost quotes for a waste steam absorption chiller
Conduct a life
cycle cost analysis to determine if the waste steam absorption chiller
meets your company's cost-effectiveness criteria.
The basic cooling cycle is the same for the absorption and electric chillers. Both systems use a low-temperature liquid refrigerant that absorbs heat from the water to be cooled and converts to a vapor phase (in the evaporator section). The refrigerant vapors are then compressed to a higher pressure (by a compressor or a generator), converted back into a liquid by rejecting heat to the external surroundings (in the condenser section), and then expanded to a low- pressure mixture of liquid and vapor (in the expander section) that goes back to the evaporator section and the cycle is repeated.
The basic difference between the electric chillers and absorption chillers is that an electric chiller uses an electric motor for operating a compressor used for raising the pressure of refrigerant vapors and an absorption chiller uses heat for compressing refrigerant vapors to a high-pressure. The rejected heat from the power-generation equipment (e.g. turbines, microturbines, and engines) may be used with an absorption chiller to provide the cooling in a CHP system.
The basic absorption cycle employs two fluids, the absorbate or refrigerant, and the absorbent. The most commonly fluids are water as the refrigerant and lithium bromide as the absorbent. These fluids are separated and recombined in the absorption cycle. In the absorption cycle the low-pressure refrigerant vapor is absorbed into the absorbent releasing a large amount of heat. The liquid refrigerant/absorbent solution is pumped to a high-operating pressure generator using significantly less electricity than that for compressing the refrigerant for an electric chiller. Heat is added at the high-pressure generator from a gas burner, steam, hot water or hot gases. The added heat causes the refrigerant to desorb from the absorbent and vaporize. The vapors flow to a condenser, where heat is rejected and condense to a high-pressure liquid. The liquid is then throttled though an expansion valve to the lower pressure in the evaporator where it evaporates by absorbing heat and provides useful cooling. The remaining liquid absorbent, in the generator passes through a valve, where its pressure is reduced, and then is recombined with the low-pressure refrigerant vapors returning from the evaporator so the cycle can be repeated.
Absorption chillers are used to generate cold water (44°F) that is circulated to air handlers in the distribution system for air conditioning.
"Indirect-fired" absorption chillers use steam, hot water or hot gases steam from a boiler, turbine or engine generator, or fuel cell as their primary power input. Theses chillers can be well suited for integration into a CHP system for buildings by utilizing the rejected heat from the electric generation process, thereby providing high operating efficiencies through use of otherwise wasted energy.
"Direct-fired" systems contain natural gas burners; rejected heat from these chillers can be used to regenerate desiccant dehumidifiers or provide hot water.
Commercially absorption chillers can be single-effect or multiple-effect. The above schematic refers to a single-effect absorption chiller. Multiple-effect absorption chillers are more efficient and discussed below.
Multiple-Effect Absorption Chillers
In a single-effect absorption chiller, the heat released during the chemical process of absorbing refrigerant vapor into the liquid stream, rich in absorbent, is rejected to the environment. In a multiple-effect absorption chiller, some of this energy is used as the driving force to generate more refrigerant vapor. The more vapor generated per unit of heat or fuel input, the greater the cooling capacity and the higher the overall operating efficiency.
A double-effect chiller uses two generators paired with a single condenser, absorber, and evaporator. It requires a higher temperature heat input to operate and therefore they are limited in the type of electrical generation equipment they can be paired with when used in a CHP System.
Triple-effect chillers can achieve even higher efficiencies than the double-effect chillers. These chillers require still higher elevated operating temperatures that can limit choices in materials and refrigerant/absorbent pairs. Triple-effect chillers are under development by manufacturers working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy.
About Us
We provide renewable energy engineering services and turnkey installations of our solar energy systems for commercial, municipal, government, schools and utility clients with projects located in the U.S., Canada Central America and the Caribbean. In many cases, we may also be able to provide project finance or investment.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions Consulting
Carbon Emissions Consulting & Solutions
Greenhouse Gas Emissions consulting
Renewable Energy Credit consulting
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What is "Decentralized Energy"?
Decentralized Energy is the opposite of "centralized energy." Decentralized Energy energy generates the power and energy that a residential, commercial or industrial customer needs, onsite. Examples of decentralized energy production are solar energy systems and solar trigeneration energy systems.
Today's electric utility industry was "born" in the 1930's, when fossil fuel prices were cheap, and the cost of wheeling the electricity via transmission power lines, was also cheap. "Central" power plants could be located hundreds of miles from the load centers, or cities, where the electricity was needed. These extreme inefficiencies and cheap fossil fuel prices have added a considerable economic and environmental burden to the consumers and the planet.
Centralized energy is found in the form of electric utility companies that generate power from "central" power plants. Central power plants are highly inefficient, averaging only 33% net system efficiency. This means that the power coming to your home or business - including the line losses and transmission inefficiencies of moving the power - has lost 75% to as much as 80% energy it started with at the "central" power plant. These losses and inefficiencies translate into significantly increased energy expenses by the residential and commercial consumers.
Decentralized Energy is the Best Way to Generate Clean and Green Energy!
How we make and distribute electricity is changing!
The electric power generation, transmission and distribution system (the electric "grid") is changing and evolving from the electric grid of the 19th and 20th centuries, which was inefficient, highly-polluting, very expensive and “dumb.”
The "old" way of generating and distributing
energy resembles this slide:
Some customers will choose to dis-connect from the grid entirely. (Electric grid represented by the small light blue circles in the slide below.)
Typical "central" power plants and the electric utility companies that own them will either be shut-down, closed or go out of business due to one or more of the following: failed business model, inordinate expenses related to central power plants that are inefficient, excessive pollution/emissions, high costs, continued reliance on the use of fossil fuels to generate energy, and the failure to provide efficient, carbon free energy and pollution free power.
Carbon free energy and pollution free power reduces our dependence on foreign oil and makes us Energy Independent while reducing and eliminating Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
For more information, call us at: 832 - 758 - 0027
* Some of the above information from the Department of Energy website with permission.
Suggested Links for More Information:
www.AutomatedDemandResponse.com
www.CapAndTrade.net
www.CarbonDioxideCredits.com
www.CarbonDioxideEmissions.com
www.CertifiedEmissionReduction.com
www.CertifiedEmissionReductions.com
www.CleanDevelopmentMechanism.net
www.ConcentratedSolarPower.com
www.ConcentratedSolarThermal.com
www.ConcentratingSolarThermal.com
www.ConcentratingPhotovoltaic.com
www.ConcentrationPhotovoltaic.com
www.ConcentratingSolarPower.com
www.ConcentratorPhotovoltaic.com
www.ConcentratorPhotovoltaics.com
www.EnergyConservationMeasures.com
www.EnergyEfficiencyMeasures.com
www.EnergyEfficientLighting.net
www.EngineeringProcurementConstruction.com
www.EngineeringProcurementAndConstruction.com
www.EvacuatedTubeCollector.com
www.EvacuatedTubeCollectors.com
www.FinancialTransmissionRights.com
www.GreenhouseGasEmissions.com
www.HighConcentrationPhotovoltaic.com
www.HighVoltageDirectCurrent.com
www.InterconnectionAgreement.com
www.InterconnectionAgreements.com
www.LocationalMarginalPricing.com
www.MechanicalElectricalPlumbing.com
www.PhotovoltaicPowerPlant.com
www.PowerPurchaseAgreement.com
www.PowerPurchaseAgreements.com
www.RenewableEnergyCapital.net
www.RenewableEnergyInvestments.com
www.RenewableEnergyTaxCredits.com
www.RenewableEnergyTechnologies.com
www.RenewableEnergyVentures.com
www.RenewablePortfolioStandard.com
www.SolarElectricPowerSystem.com
www.SolarElectricPowerSystems.com
www.SolarHeatingAndCooling.com
www.SolarInvestmentTaxCredits.com
www.SolarPhotovoltaicPanels.com
www.SolarThermalCollectors.com
www.SolarThermalPowerPlants.com
www.SolarWaterHeatingSystem.com
www.SolarWaterHeatingSystems.com
www.TransmissionCongestionRights.com
www.TransmissionSuperhighway.com
www.UtilityScalePowerPlant.com
www.VerifiedEmissionReductions.com
Are
you doing your part to stop Global Warming and Climate Change?
Learn more about the leading causes of Global Warming and Climate Change,
which are Carbon
Dioxide Emissions and Greenhouse
Gas Emissions at the following websites:
Carbon
Dioxide Emissions
www.CarbonDioxideEmissions.com
Carbon Emissions
www.CarbonEmissions.com
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
www.GreenhouseGasEmissions.com
Our
solar energy systems will;
* forever change the way energy is generated and used.
* eliminate or greatly reduce our customer's electric demand charges and electric expenses.
* slow, stop and eventually reverse climate change by reducing and then
eliminating anthropogenic greenhouse
gas emissions - of which carbon
dioxide emissions makes up 80% of all greenhouse
gas emissions.
* reduce and eventually eliminate the use of coal and other fossil fuels.
*
reduce the need for inefficient and expensive central power plants owned by
utility companies.
* promote energy independence.
* end America's dependence on oil from OPEC and other countries in the Middle-East, Venezuela and end our need for importing natural gas from Russia.
____________________________________________________________________________________
We support the Renewable Energy
Institute by donating a portion of our profits to the Renewable
Energy Institute in their efforts to reduce fossil fuel use through
renewable energy and their goals to end pollution from Carbon
Dioxide Emissions and Greenhouse
Gas Emissions.
The Renewable Energy Institute is "Changing The Way The World Makes and Uses Energy by Providing Research & Development, Funding and Resources That Create Pollution Free Power, Carbon Free Energy & Renewable Energy Technologies"
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