The new technology captures up to 85 percent of the sun’s energy and is based on a novel heat exchanger developed by Naked Energy. The technology incorporates solar PV cells installed in an evacuated tube collector. This results in higher electrical output and thermal performance while the generation of heat and power from the same equipment results in a more effective use of space, improved efficiencies, higher financial returns and increased displacement of carbon dioxide.
The system can be installed on pitched, curved and flat roofs as well as on vertical facades and walls. Its design eliminates the requirement for additional framing, thereby making better use of space and reducing installation costs. An intelligent control system allows end users to optimise the heat and power generated in order to best suit their particular circumstances.
Virtu has a very high energy density which is particularly suited to commercial applications in hotels, leisure centres, factories and hospitals, which tend to have large, flat roofs and high energy requirements. The heat produced by Virtu can also be harnessed to cool buildings, thereby resulting in completely sustainable cooling solutions.
Jabil and Naked Energy will make Virtu available to a global market. Jabil will also support Naked Energy with expertise in the integration of Virtu in buildings and related systems. The two companies have begun to manufacture the system for customers in the UK, Europe and North America and the first installation of commercial pilot projects is scheduled for early 2016, with a full commercial launch later in the year. An even stronger global demand for Virtu is expected following renewed commitments to sustainable energy agreed during the COP21 climate change conference in Paris.
“Partnerships with big businesses and academia have been critical to our development” said Christophe Williams, CEO, Naked Energy. “Climate-KIC, one of our first partners, got us off the ground, funding research to validate and characterise the core technology, but also mentoring, facilitating introductions and providing project finance. This new agreement with Jabil is a key milestone along the road to full-scale commercial rollout.”
Aled Thomas, Director, Climate-KIC UK, added that innovation to address climate change is already a major potential source of growth for the UK economy and that Climate-KIC is helping the country to capitalise on this opportunity by selecting the very best ideas, proving both the longevity and scaling potential of each idea to accelerate their commercialisation.
In 2013 Naked Energy was awarded €1.3 million in grants from DECC and Climate-KIC, Europe’s largest public-private innovation partnership focused on climate change. Naked Energy has been an affiliate partner of the Climate-KIC since its inception. The company won further grant funding from DECC’s Energy Entrepreneurs Fund in 2015 to support the first commercial scale pilot of the technology.
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