Technology Description

Infinia Corporation has developed a concentrated solar thermal technology utilizing a highly reliable free-piston Stirling engine (FPSE) with a parabolic dish that produces 3 kWe of power and 7 kWt of usable heat. The dual-axis tracking solar concentrator dish integrated into the system focuses the sun's energy into useful high-temperature thermal energy to drive Infinia's efficient FPSE, producing grid-compatible AC electric output plus heat that can be used for space heating and hot water. This system will reduce the Department of Defense's (DoD) energy burden by producing electricity and hot water with a single concentrating unit using a free non-greenhouse gas-producing fuel source. The solar-thermal-electric approach allows both heat and power to be generated at conversion efficiencies projected in the 70% range, far surpassing what can be done with standard distributed solar power generation. The successful completion of this project will result in improved system integration design relative to the domestic application, quantifiable system efficiency data, energy production data (kWh electricity and thermal) produced over a 12-month season cycle, and operation and maintenance costs representative of initial start-up.