The Sun Lizard solar heating and cooling device is approaching the
market place. The United Nations has purchased four for use in Afghanistan. Municipal libraries are already using the designs.
The Sun Lizard is designed and produced by Alternative Fuels and Energy and the company’s CEO Colin Gillam has been working towards this goal for the past 16 years.
The Solar Lizard uses a photovoltaic panel to collect solar energy in the summer and uses this energy to power a series of fans which encourage fresh air to enter the house from vents which are placed at ground level.
In winter, the home owner switches modes and a box that is located on the roof takes over. The box is covered by a sheet of low-iron glass that allows for maximum clarity so ample sun is able to enter the box and heat the steel baffles there.
The system then feeds the heated air back into the house via ducting, again at ground level, to warm rooms. The air is continually circulating and reheating up to 50°C. This all works without any connection to the power grid.
One unit is able to heat and cool an area of 100 sqm (~1,000 sq ft) to up to 10 C° cooler in summer and 4-6 C° warmer in winter.
Collin
says that a Sun Lizard can cut heating and cooling costs by 60%, when properly installed on a well designed building.
