Nextek Power Systems Partners with Leading Technology and Energy Providers to Build China’s First Direct-Current Microgrid
Nextek Power Systems has announced a partnership with the School of Energy Research at Xiamen University, and several other technology companies, to create the first direct-current powered commercial building in China.
Nextek joins Canadian Solar, Intel Corporation, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and People Power Company in the collaborative effort, which is designed to showcase technology that will change the way China manages, controls and consumes energy. The project will integrate renewable energy sources and storage batteries to serve building electrical loads through one-touch mobile and web-based energy management systems and controls.
This effort is especially significant because Chinese building energy consumption methods, if unchanged, could account for 20 percent of the world’s 2020 global coal consumption, according to the National Resources Defense Council. New Chinese building energy codes call for at least 50 percent energy savings at less than a 10 percent cost increase, compared to existing building costs.
Nextek Power Systems’ role will be to introduce the first Direct Coupling® Microgrid in mainland China that will incorporate diverse energy loads such as direct-current lighting, air conditioning, data centers, electrical vehicle charging and building plug loads.
“Nextek Power Systems is delighted to be working with our friends at LBNL, Intel, People Power Company, Canadian Solar and Xiamen University to field our first significant installation in the country,” said Paul Savage, CEO of Nextek Power Systems. “We think the opportunities that will spring from this are endless.”
People Power Company will provide cloud-based energy management, control and behavioral analytics applications that will enable building managers to control and manage building loads. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will develop methods and algorithms for the optimal equipment choice and operation of direct-current microgrids. Canadian Solar will provide customized solar panels for this rooftop solar system and Intel will provide technical expertise and advice on the research
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Nextek Power Systems Participates In USGBC Upgrade
Recently, Nextek Power Systems was part of a team of companies that partnered to provide a highly efficient, low-voltage DC power grid system to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Grid systems distribute and manage low-voltage DC power to lighting fixtures, sensors and other electrical devices, and are so safe and flexible, they allow for the repurposing and reconfiguration of spaces without the need to rewire.
Because they are direct current, grid systems can utilize renewable energy sources, in particular solar. They also tie in to advanced controls and LED lighting, which makes operation of devices more energy efficient and easier to manage.
The USGBC project was a collaborative effort among Nextek and other industry leaders including Armstrong whose Ceiling & Wall Systems’ DC FlexZone Grid System was the platform for the technology. Nextek Power Systems manufactured the power supply modules for use in the system, Crestron Electronics provided lighting control systems and TE Connectivity provided structured cabling and interconnects.
The DC FlexZone Grid System is a pre-engineered ceiling suspension system that provides a ready infrastructure for the delivery of low-voltage direct current power.
Nextek, Armstrong and their partners are all members of the EMerge Alliance®, an industry association that promotes the adoption of safe DC power distribution standards and use throughout commercial buildings.
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Spear Point Energy is Thrilled with Their New DC Flexzone Ceiling
Spear Point Energy, LLC recently installed an Armstrong DC FlexZone ceiling in their Colorado corporate headquarters. Spear Point Energy, LLC is a US based company with offices in Colorado, California and Utah. The company’s principals have diverse backgrounds and experience including real estate acquisition and development, power project finance and development, carbon markets, and emerging efficiency technologies. The founders, Sam Houston, Bob McClenachan, and Todd Mitchell, had the vision to create a company focused on developing and financing solar based electric generation systems as part of the growing global trend towards a diverse energy economy. The Spear Point Energy team is committed to the goal of localized electricity production through solar projects that realize economic benefit for their clients, consumers, partners and investors. Through strategic relationships, experience based knowledge, qualified personnel, and a creative forward thinking approach, Spear Point Energy is able to achieve this.
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Connectivity Week 2010, Santa Clara, California
Connectivity Week is a collection of events that together focus on the application of Information Technology (IT) on the energy challenges facing the world, challenges as illustrated by climate change and the need for sustainability.
Spanning all the major industries and energy consumption areas of commercial, residential, industrial and infrastructure, conference sessions at Connectivity Week explore how IT can be leveraged towards the new energy paradigm facing the world.
Also located at Connectivity Week are a conference and an exposition on key enabling technologies and applications required to make the future energy vision a reality.
Designed for government planners, technology companies, facility developers and owners, consultants and academia – Connectivity Week is an opportunity for stakeholders to network, share “best practices” and develop ideas to solve the world’s energy issues.
Our own Liang Downey was there for the week taking in all of the sights and sounds. According to Liang she often heard “DC power? Yes, I’ve heard of that and it makes sense!” She said it was an incredible opportunity to meet, network and discuss future partnerships. Much is being done in the energy sustainability arena and it’s an exciting time to be involved.
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Nextek to Support the IEEE Humanitarian Technology Challenge Initiative
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world’s largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity. Led by a group of IEEE volunteers working with Engineers Without Borders, Nextek Power Systems will be helping to provide renewable energy to Haiti and other disadvantaged regions in the world. Nextek has committed to donate our NPS1000 Power Modules and associated hardware that have been specifically modified to support the initiative in Haiti.
The long-term goal is to create economically and environmentally sustainable energy, as well as build an entrepreneurial renewable energy industry in these developing and disadvantaged areas.
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Toby Barlow Talks AC/DC
Toby Barlow, author of the book Sharp Teeth, blogged about adopting a DC building standard on The Huffington Post today. We here at Nextek Power Systems couldn’t agree more with Toby and we plan on spreading the word!
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Nextek Power Systems Appoints Advertising and Communications Agency
Nextek Power Systems has appointed JWT Worldwide (formerly the J. Walter Thompson Company) as its advertising and brand communications agency. JWT Worldwide has over 145 years of marketing experience and its clients include global brand leaders like Nike, Ford Motor Company, Microsoft, Nestle, Unilever and thousands more globally. We are looking forward to working with them on our first project, a press release launching the EMerge Alliance.
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Fascinating Lecture by Thomas Friedman
I was glad to join Debra Jacobson, the Co-Director of the George Washington University Solar Institute, at Thomas Friedman’s lecture on her campus last week. Friedman, a New York Times Columnist and Pulitzer Prize winning author based his talk on his book Hot, Flat and Crowded and focused on the need for an Energy Technology (ET) Revolution. This, he says, needs to be forceful and eventful, like the IT revolution was, leaving companies like the Digital Equipment Corporation in its wake. He argues that there needs to be, necessarily, stranded ideas and assets in this revolution, like old utility business models and a few veins of coal, I am guessing. The force of Mr. Friedman’s talk was exciting for me because it’s sounds like a good preamble to our business plan to bring solar PV to commodity use through DC Microgrids. Higher efficiency for renewables and stored power, greater independence and choice for customers, benefits for the grid as it’s designed today are all consequences of this shift, which sounds like a revolution to me.
Guest Blogger: Paul Savage, CEO, Nextek Power Systems
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Nextek Power Systems at University of California, San Diego
On November 20, 2009 Nextek Power Systems President and CEO, Paul Savage, was on-hand for the dedication of the new Sustainability Resource Center at the University of California, San Diego. Nextek donated the hardware and software that made it possible for the center’s solar arrays to connect to Armstrong’s DC Flexzone ceiling/lighting grid.
The UCSD Sustainability Resource Center is a place for students to find green jobs and internships, campus sustainability projects, information on recycling, water conservation, home/office efficiencies, energy-efficient transportation and sustainability-related courses.
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Promoting Hybrid Power Distribution At IMFA.
We were in Orlando, FL, this week to give a presentation at the International Facility Management Association’s (IMFA) World Workplace 2009 Conference & Expo, an annual three-day educational and networking event focused on the future of the built environment.
This multi-national, multi-disciplined forum covered workplace challenges, trends and new products and services impacting the workplace throughout 2010 and beyond. Topics included energy efficiency, techniques for protecting your business from workplace data breaches, and methods for cutting facility costs and increasing productivity.
We were there to check out what’s new in the industry and to host a presentation called “A hybrid approach to building power: adding DC to power to interior architecture” with our EMerge Alliance partners Brian Patterson, of Armstrong World Industries, Paula Ziegenbein, of OSRAM SYLVANIA, and Joel Zwier, of Steelcase Inc.
Our presentation covered a variety of power distribution issues and demonstrated how AC/DC hybrid coupled power systems:
- Embrace trends in alternative energy;
- Enhance efficiency, flexibility and sustainability;
- Offer better reliability and lower energy costs.
In short, we explained that AC/DC hybrid systems offer benefits to: the community (in the form of easier access to alternative energy sources); building owners and facility mangers (in the form of decreased installation costs, increased sustainability and easier reconfigurations); and to individuals (in the form of safety, reliability and flexibility). This hybrid approach to power distribution is the way of the future as it provides an easy, efficient way to produce, distribute and use power in an increasingly DC driven world.
To learn more about the World Workplace 2009 expo, or for a complete list of conference details, visit www.worldworkplace.org.
For more information about the importance of DC power, visit the Emerge Alliance website at www.emergealliance.org.
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