Enerconcept Technologies, Inc.
Contact:
Christian Vachon, President
Email:
christian.v@enerconcept.com
Phone:
(819) 843-1323
Website:
www.enerconcept.com
Region:
Québec, Canada
Founded:
1998
Industry:
Cleantech Category:
Other Tags:
Event or Program:
10Q Program:
Year Participated:
2011
30-Second Pitch:
The single largest energy expense for commercial and industrial buildings in North America is heating the air. Enerconcept Technologies delivers an environmentally sound solution that delivers heated air at 15% lower than natural gas (pegged).
We offer the most comprehensive line of tested and approved solar air heating panels anywhere. Since 1998, we have designed, sold and installed several hundred solar air heating systems on commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural and residential projects. Our industry-leading performance arises from innovations such as our patented Perforated Glazing Technology (PGT), which enables very high efficiency across the wide range of air flows found in the more than 250,000 buildings across the United States with more than 5,000 CFM air handling capabilities.
Our collectors can be integrated into the rooftops and walls of new buildings or retrofit on existing roofs. In contrast to most other forms of solar energy systems, our products are highly efficient in northern latitudes, blend into a wide range of architectures and are quick and inexpensive to install. Payback periods to date have been under two years, not the 25 or more required by many photovoltaic installations. For customers that do not wish to make an initial capital investment, we are partnering with US-based Revolution Energy to provide heated air from our systems via innovative Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) at a fraction of the cost of air heated by any other energy source.
Profitable since 20xx, we are poised to accelerate our growth through sales of our standardized panels to distributors and franchisees. Our partnership with Revolution Energy will allow us to expand rapidly throughout the United States.
Market Size and Market Pain:
The single largest energy expense for commercial and industrial buildings in North America is heating the air. Enerconcept Technologies delivers an environmentally sound solution that delivers heated air at 15% lower than natural gas (pegged).
Energy savings are achieved over the entire space heating season, as soon as the sun shines above the horizon. The longer the heating season, the larger the savings. The more sun there is in winter, the better. These two winning conditions meet admirably over most of the North American continent, from the Canadian North all the way south to Tennessee or Arizona.
Over the whole of the US Northern Belt or most of Canada, solar energy production can reach as much as 1,5 GJ or even 2 GJ per m2 of collector per year.
Types of applications are numerous...
Production plants, factories, workshops, warehouses, exhibition halls, offices, institutional facilities, theaters, gymnasiums, dryers, cleaners... in fact, in all places where a heating and ventilation system is present! The right solar heating product will perform best if properly integrated within the HVAC and control system of the building: this is key for optimal performance. Experts at Enerconcept are there to assist you.
Technology and Products:
We offer the most comprehensive line of tested and approved solar air heating panels available anywhere. Since 1998, we have designed, sold and installed several hundred solar air heating systems on commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural and residential projects. Our collectors can be integrated into the rooftops and walls of new buildings or retrofit on existing roofs, as shown in this video.
Our primary product lines include:
- Lubi™ Solar Air Heaters: Customized wall-mounted solar air heaters leveraging Enerconcept Technologies' patented perforated glazing technology (PGT)
- UnitAir™: Building-integrated solar heating technology
- Luba™ Solar Preheaters: Roof-mounted "plug-and-save" solar collectors for heating applications
- Grammer Solar High Temperature Collectors: Roof- or wall-mounted solar collectors for preheating, space heating and water heating
Enerconcept Technologies has been innovating, developing and installing solar air heating technology since 1998. Our PGT technology delivers up to 80.7% efficiency, the highest ever attained by a single-pane solar air heater. This high performance is delivered across a very wide range of air flow rates, allowing economic use of our Lubi™ technology for buildings with air flow as low as 2 cfm/ft2.
Our systems are designed to maximize efficiency not only through cutting edge technology but through the design of systems that maximize preheating, retain more heat through closed loops, and provide co-generation of heated water. Our continuing R&D has already resulted in a number of industry firsts, including:
- The first roof-mounted solar air heater with integrated thermal storage capacity
- A heliothermal heat pump system, which combines the benefits of solar heat with air-based heat pumps
- A solar preheating system especially designed for farms and barns
- A roof-mounted solar snow-melting system
Sustainable Competitive Advantage:
Unlike any other solar technology, our systems delivers an energy product at a lower price than any other source. We deliver heated air at 15% lower than natural gas (pegged).
In addition, we have addressed the most common concerns about solar energy systems on buildings: that they are too inefficient in northern latittudes, unattractive, and too expensive to install.
- Solar thermal conversion is much more efficient than solar electric conversion, generating up to 1200 kWh/yr per square meter of collector at a 70 degree tilt based on winter insolation in North America.
- Our panels have been designed blend into almost any building's architecture across a spectrum of 21 colors. They are 20% to 58% more efficient than those of our nearest competitors across this spectrum.
- Operating costs are minimal with few moving parts to maintain and panels designed to last for decades. Capital costs can be significant, so we are partnering with US company Revolution Energy to defray installation costs via Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
Our advantages have led to our status as the number two supplier worldwide, on track to becoming number one in 2012.
Business Model and Financial Projections:
Enerconcept is the Canadian company that has sold the most solar air heating systems since its beginnings in 1998. We are proud of our record:
- Hundreds of industrial solar air heatings systems
- Dozens of installations in the agricultural sector
- Dozens of residential systems
- More than 500 ventilation projects with fabric air ducts
- Many heat recovery system projects
While we will continue our custom work as a source of both early revenue and new product concepts, we are focusing on growth via distributors and recurring revenue via our partnership with Revolution Energy. We already have a line of plan and spec solar collectors that we can produce rapidly and efficiently and are working to increase demand via our relationships with architecture and construction firms as well as industry distributors. We also plan to launch a franchise program for North America in 2012.
Team:
Christian Vachon, President
Development Plans:
TBD