SBIR Phase I: High-Efficiency Energy Distribution and Conversion System for Buildings

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will address a method of reducing energy waste in large buildings. The company proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of a novel, ultra-efficient power distribution system. In Phase I, the company will design a prototype, and in Phase II, the system will be demonstrated. The Phase I effort includes an evaluation of the distribution system?s costs, performance, and efficiency at both the component and system levels. The results will be compared to representative, conventional power systems. This work is anticipated to show a significant improvement in energy efficiency compared to conventional technologies. The broader impacts of this research are (1) a significant improvement in energy efficiency of the commercial sector through reduction of energy transmission and distribution losses in large buildings, resulting in (2) a reduction of greenhouse gas emission. A preliminary estimate of the total energy savings in a single building with 1 MW of installed power is over 60 MWh per year. This is the equivalent of saving more than 30 tonnes of coal from being burned every year (per building), or preventing more than 60 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.