Solar panels resemble magnifying glass
lenses. Approximately 1/8-inch thick, resilient material,
withstands strong winds. |
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SALEM, UTAH, USA -- International Automated Systems Inc. (OTCBB: IAUS) has
secured a site for its first 1 Megawatt solar power plant. Once in operation,
the company hopes to expand beyond several hundred Megawatts.
The site, zoned for solar, is in the high southern desert of California near
Barstow.
According to IAUS Public Relations Representative, Randy Johnson, construction
will begin soon, with completion expected within six months.
We ran a story in
August about IAUS and their unique solar design that features lenses that focus
the sun's heat onto a highly efficient proprietary turbine system.
According to Johnson, the one-megawatt plant will be composed of four dishes
with 25 hexagon-shaped lenses each, arrayed in three rows of eight that are
staggered to accommodate the hexagon shape. To fill out the middle row, so that
its ends are flush with the top and bottom rows, one lens will be split into two
halves, which fit into those four-sided spaces. Each hexagon-shaped lens will be
22 feet in diameter, and will focus enough energy to generate around 10 kW.
Overall height of the dish will be approximately 60 feet, and its length will be
around 125 feet.
The four dishes and the turbine housing will sit on around four acres.
The turbine assembly, with generator has a footprint of about ten feet by ten
feet. Then there is the condenser system as well, to complete the
closed-loop circulation of the water through the system, which serves in heat
transfer.
Comparison to Stirling Solar
The IAUS system is similar in several regards to Stirling
Energy Systems' set-up, which is also targeting grid power applications, and
is scheduled to be installed in Southern California.
Johnson points out several differences between the two. The IAUS system
has roughly the same efficiency as the Stirling Solar system in converting the
sun's energy into usable power, but IAUS expects their system to be less
expensive.
The IAUS system is rated to handle a wind load of 90 mph, while the Stirling
Solar system is rated for 50 mph bursts. Both systems require take-down in
the case of severe storms.
Also, the Stirling Solar design requires their proprietary Stirling engine on
every dish, whereas with the IAUS system, the heat collected by each dish is
transferred to water which is piped to a central location where the turbine is
situated.
Other Applications of the Turbine
IAUS Turbine has far more thermal
applications than just solar thermal. |
IAUS is using their proprietary turbine system for many applications besides
just converting solar heat into electricity. They are pursing a number of
biomass opportunities whereby they will convert waste wood into methanol, heat,
and electricity.
Presently they have a contract to use the waste wood left over from a forest
wood-pulp harvesting operation. They are also looking to secure a supply
of wood that come as a result of natural disasters such as hurricanes, because
of downed trees and broken limbs.
Mobile Turbine Unit
The company is building a mobile turbine unit system that can be hauled behind a
semi truck. They plan to use this both for demonstrations and for transport of a
turbine to a point of sale or for temporary uses.
# # #
SOURCES:
- Phone interview with Randy Johnson, Public Relations Representative, Oct.
4, 2005
- www.iaus.com - Company website
- Press release at Yahoo
Biz, Sept. 29, 2005
- A
New Concentration for US Commercial-scale Solar Power
RenewableEnergyAccess.com -
Peterborough,NH,USA
... been unveiled from Stirling Energy Systems and Solargenix, and
this week came a new announcement from Utah-based International Automated
Systems (IAUS), which ...
CONTACT:
International Automated Systems Inc., Salem
www.iaus.com
Randy Johnson, 801-423-8132
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