Low Cost/Compact Solar Panel
We aim to develop an affordable and compact hot water solar thermal panel. Feasibility testing will be done and initial prototype created for the solar thermal panel. The panel could be designed to mount as siding (vertically or horizontally) on south-facing walls. We want to develop a viable product with a manufacturing cost of about $5 per square foot, allowing units to be sold at about ½ the price of other solar thermal panels, and be more aesthetically appealing than traditional thermal panels.
Practical/Energy Efficient Residential Heat Storage System*
We will research, develop, install and test a practical/energy efficient heat storage system for solar heated residences in Minnesota. The system would likely be passive and active solar heat collection, using a combination of hot air and hot water techniques. Key objectives would be making a practical energy efficient system by using massive amounts of earth as a medium for storage, along with insulated hot water tanks. Heat storage is one of the most challenging issues faced by anyone hoping to use a large percentage of solar energy for winter heating. We hope to establish good engineering trade-offs that will help reduce costs to store solar heat for at least several days of Minnesota winters.
Energy Efficient Residential Air Handler
We are researching energy efficient air handling systems that will work on super tight and super insulated houses in Minnesota. Current air heat exchangers in the United States are not up to the energy efficiency standards that will soon be required. We hope to find sources that have so far been elusive, then combine and augment our finds with whatever custom additions are required to make a practical system.
Residential Greenhouse Development
Attached greenhouses help heat the house and provide food for the owner. A greenhouse on the south wall of a residence will serve many functions... providing passive solar gain, heat storage (utility space to process water and store heat) and preventing heat loss through the south wall. The greenhouse will provide healthy, low cost, low impact, low mileage food for the homeowner and make a pleasant four-season porch, making a smaller house acceptable.
Water Reclamation Project
The purpose is to treat residential greywater & blackwater through methane digesters and simulated wetland using plant bed systems in a greenhouse setting. It will also test and implement sand filtering and the re-use of water back into functions of a residential dwelling.
Composting Toilet Project
We will develop a composting system that will utilize human nutrients and food scrap. The system will convert these materials into usable humus that could be safely reapplied to the soil. The system will improve upon the problem of clean out and maintenance that is typical of other systems. By extracting material from the bottom of the system, clean out is required only during warmer months of the year.
Presentation Software for HUGnet Energy Performance Monitoring System*
We are updating our HUGnet monitoring system software to make it easier for lay people to understand the data that it gathers. HUGnet monitors temperature, humidity, heat flow, light, air quality, and other useful data. If we hope to use energy wisely, performance monitoring is the best way to sort out what really works and what doesn't.
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