New solar energy invention

[heuristics]

This invention won the People's Choice award on ABC-TV New Inventors program, episode 38 (Oct 19 05)

Maybe of interest to some.

link to program site is http://www.abc.net.au/newinventors/ this site also has links to other environment-focused inventions from this program.

Synopsis of the "sunball" invention as per the ABC website:

The SunBall provides a solar power source for domestic users. It uses less photovoltaic cells (so makes the unit cheaper) without compromising on its electricity production (due to a concentrating lens). Its automatic tracking capability is enabled by the sphere-like design, which, unlike a flat panel, allows it to rotate on an internal 2 axis system to follow the sun’s light, making maximum use of daylight hours.

Basically, the Sunball is an invention which uses existing technology in an innovative design, intended for particular benefits.

The SunBall is basically made up of 4 main parts: the solar concentrator; the microprocessor, the tracking system, and the passive heat control system. Most of the functions (eg. heat controls, mounting structure, bearing surface, environmental seal, wind loading reduction) are encapsulated within the hemisphere shape rather than sitting external to the panels, and so savings are incurred.

Characteristics:
>Can be coloured to match roof colour
>Easily installed by one man on all domestic and commercial roof types.
>No need to be installed on street facing roof (if north facing).
>Lower cost per Wp than flat panels
>Attractive shape
>Higher annual kWh output than flat panels
>Hemispherical shape significantly reduces wind loading versus flat panels.

Domestic Rooftop:
>Each rooftop SunBall weighs approx 20kg per 330Watt output for each 1m squared SunBall.
>Takes 20 solar cells.
>Measures 1m square. Diameter 1.13m
>Height would be 1/2m off the roof
>Bearings of rotating axis are 100mm off roof
>If one solar cell is damaged, can just change one, rather than whole unit.
>If lens is damaged, can just change lens, rather than whole unit.
>Would need 4, to generate approx 50% of electricity usage in a domestic home.

[forest]

This looks like a great invention. Did they talk about price. I note on the ABC website that it's fairly cheap, but did they say an exact figure?

[baldcat]

Here's a little more info..

http://www.hydrogen.asn.au/SolarBall-Solar-Energy.htm

*** http://www.greenandgoldenergy.com.au/ ***

http://www.greenandgoldenergy.com.au/images/ApplesarenotOranges.jpg

[Tezza]

Is everyone behaving in here



Tezza

[gowatson]

Hi All,

My name is Greg Watson. I'm the inventor and developer of the SunBall. I would be please to answer your SunBall questions.

All the best,
Greg Watson
Green and Gold Energy
Adelaide, South Australia
+61 408 843 089
http://www.greenandgoldenergy.com.au
Online SunBall discussion group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunball

[forest]

Hi Greg. It's so good of you to introduce yourself to us.

We've just installed solar hot water and we're thinking now of solar panels for other electrical needs. We have two in our family, with frequnt visitors throughout the year, so my guess is we'd need enough power for 3 people. We don't have a lot of gadgets or appliances and we cook with gas.

How many units would I need and what do you think the cost will be? I'm on the Sunshine Coast, what about installation?

I've talked to some American friends about your sunball and sent them some links to info. They're very keen as well. It's due for OS release next September?

Thanks for answering our questions.
Rhonda

[snaggs]

Hi All,

My name is Greg Watson. I'm the inventor and developer of the SunBall. I would be please to answer your SunBall questions.

All the best,
Greg Watson
Green and Gold Energy
Adelaide, South Australia
+61 408 843 089
http://www.greenandgoldenergy.com.au
Online SunBall discussion group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunball

Greg, we were about to install a the $20k BP on the house were building. How many watts will we get from yours?
Is it available by 12 months time? (were going through council with plans now).
Do you have someone in Perth who can do it?

EDIT: Theres a calculator on his site, this thing is amazing!!

Daniel.

[gowatson]

How many units would I need and what do you think the cost will be? I'm on the Sunshine Coast, what about installation?

** Using the existing rebate scheme 3 - 4 SunBalls gives the lowest $/kWh. Going above 4 units lifts the $/kWh cost as there is only rebates on the first 1kW of SunBalls. On my site there is a easy to use calculator which makes the choice of how many SunBall to use easy to see. It also calculates the available rebates.

I've talked to some American friends about your sunball and sent them some links to info. They're very keen as well. It's due for OS release next September?

** Yes, assuming our US UL qualifications go well.

Thanks for answering our questions.

Hi Rhonda,

Thanks for the interest.

All the best,
Greg Watson
Green and Gold Energy
Adelaide, South Australia
+61 408 843 089
http://www.greenandgoldenergy.com.au
Online SunBall discussion group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunball

[heuristics]

Hey Greg
Congratulations on your sunball - champion stuff.
And those New Inventors judges are half-wits, but I guess you've seen the posts on the program site. The consensus is your sunball should have won. People's Choice is still pretty good. Tell us when they do the final judging and we'll support you.

Now tell us, did you get a bit of a buzz to come here and find we were all already hyped about your new gizmo?

[Cornonthecob]

Please excuse my ignorance....I'm very interested in using solar both for home and my aquaponic system...what I don't understand is what will 1kW do?? What could I run with that?

Apologies for the vague question.

[gowatson]

Hey Greg

Congratulations on your sunball - champion stuff.

** Thanks for that. I do happen to agree with you.

And those New Inventors judges are half-wits, but I guess you've seen the posts on the program site. The consensus is your sunball should have won.

** What upset me was the ABC altered the time sequence of some of the judges comments and cut out some of my answers which refuted their negative comments. The ABC have also pulled comments from their web site which have been critical of their judges decisions.

** The first judge, Jamie, said the SunBall was not very inventive???, had been done before???, then said he would buy one for his roof??? but the horse gadget was more polished??? The week before he gave it to a roof gutter which has been done heaps before and the inventor had no marketing intensions. Can't understand now he makes his decisions but he cost me the Invention of the Year award.

People's Choice is still pretty good. Tell us when they do the final judging and we'll support you.

** Its already been done. The People's Choice Award goes to the invention with the most votes. I can't get into the Invention of the Year judges decision as I was not selected by the judges.

** Don't be suprised if the SunBall doesn't win the People's Choice Award as the ABC doesn't publish the voting numbers.

Now tell us, did you get a bit of a buzz to come here and find we were all already hyped about your new gizmo?

** Sure it is always good but I'm not afraid of a few critical questions.

All the best,
Greg Watson
Green and Gold Energy
Adelaide, South Australia
+61 408 843 089
http://www.greenandgoldenergy.com.au
Online SunBall discussion group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunball

[frosty]

HI Greg

I didnt see the ABC show but I have just had a quick look at your web page and am very interested

we have a small system we run on our house to supplement a grid supply and have been adding to it whenever we can

a couple of questions

can a sunball be part of a system in combintion with flat panels ?

does it have to roof mounted providing there is nothing to give shadow if put on the ground ? ( we have a tree that shades the roof ad dont want to loose it sao we mount our panels on the ground )

can it be installed DIY ?

frosty

[gowatson]

HI Greg

a couple of questions

can a sunball be part of a system in combintion with flat panels ?

** Generally no as it is technically difficult to mix panels with different voltage and current outputs. The SunBall has a much stiffer output (very much temperature insensitive) and if series up with flat panels the SunBall current output would be degraded down to the flat panel current output. Likewise attempts to parallel up against existing panels would result in either the flatties being switched off due to higher SunBall voltage output or the SunBall being switched out due to higher flatties voltage output.

** Generally it is better to invest in a new inverter for the SunBalls as this allows the unique stiffer and wider SunBall output to be fully realized in the load.

does it have to roof mounted providing there is nothing to give shadow if put on the ground ? ( we have a tree that shades the roof ad dont want to loose it sao we mount our panels on the ground )

** Ground mounting is ok aslong as you do understand the SunBall can track virtually from horizon to horizon and generally the lower it is mounter, the more horizonal clutter (trees, houses, fences, ect) can reduce dawn to dusk output.

** As the SunBall doesn't need to be mounted on the sun facing roof, you can mount them where they are not visible from the front of the house and get better horizon to horizon solar capture.

can it be installed DIY ?

** If you want to have AC grid connect, any solar PV system must be installed and signed off by a electrician that the whole installation is compliant to AS5033 wiring rules. The AGO installation rebate system requires any solar PV system to be installed by a BCSE approved installer.

** Sure self install can be done but you really do need to think about it. Understand each SunBall outputs around 60 VDC (no load) and 4 connected in series can generate 240VDC. More than enough to easily electrocute a careless installer. The SunBall with inbuilt AC grid connect inverter is much safer as the inverter has inbuilt safety switch off features but it can still kill.

Hi Frosty,

Please think about the above. I would not want to hear you became cold and frosty.

Greg

[gowatson]

Please excuse my ignorance....I'm very interested in using solar both for home and my aquaponic system...what I don't understand is what will 1kW do?? What could I run with that?

Apologies for the vague question.

Hi Cornonthecob,

1kW of SunBalls (3 SunBalls) will generate annually about 2,000kWh of electricity (using Adelaide solar availability). With that you could run a 1 hp pump (750W) for 2,670 hours. It's not so much about the peak capacity of the SunBall but how much power the SunBall can generate annually to replace what you use annually.

All the best,
Greg Watson
Green and Gold Energy
Adelaide, South Australia
+61 408 843 089
http://www.greenandgoldenergy.com.au
Online SunBall discussion group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunball

[gowatson]

Greg, we were about to install a the $20k BP on the house were building. How many watts will we get from yours?

** In Perth you will get quite a bit more annual kWhs than we get in Adelaide. Be sure to select Perth as the site and zero out Adelaide. As to effective $/kWh you will find the SunBall can deliver kWhs at about 25% of what flat panels can.

Is it available by 12 months time? (were going through council with plans now).

** We expect availability to be Feb - March 2005 but certification may delay that.

Do you have someone in Perth who can do it?

** I'm talking to many Perth & WA based solar retailers who are interested in selling and installing the SunBall. By the time you are ready there will be several.

EDIT: Theres a calculator on his site, this thing is amazing!!

** Thanks. I've been told there is nothing like it.

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for the feedback.

All the best,
Greg Watson
Green and Gold Energy
Adelaide, South Australia
+61 408 843 089
http://www.greenandgoldenergy.com.au
Online SunBall discussion group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunball

[Cornonthecob]

Thank you Greg

Yet another thing for me to look into! :)

[frosty]

thanks from me too Greg

I will join your list and we may even look into a grid feed system ...... it certainly is more economical that using flat panels

frosty

[scambuster]

Quick update on the "SunBall" "SunCube"
After promising delivery real soon for about 7 years and having sold franchises around the world for million dollar sums Green and Gold Energy is now in receivership without a single SunBall/SunCube being delivered anywhere in the world.

GGE is being liquidated by the Australian Taxation Department for unpaid company tax.
The poster known as keefwivanef who has been a vocal critic of Mr Watson has won his case for defamation and is also in the list of creditors, seeking payment of his legal costs and damages.
http://defamationwatch.com.au/chatroom-defamation-dont-defend-and-down-30000-leech-v-green-gold-energy-pty-ltd-2011-nswsc-999/
Apparently Mr Watson is not keen to pay any tax because it will be given to drongos.

I now live in the Middle-East. For now, I've given Oz the 'flick'. The current government leaders used to call each other 'Comrade'. Until there is a bit of political tidial change in Australia, I'm bowing out for now. I want to keep the $$ I earn and not give it to a bunch of dead-beat 'drongos', like the current government in Australia currently does. I was last taxed on my income at 45%, on top of a 10% GST in Australia. This doesn't even include all the hidden taxes and tarriffs. For instance, everything from the States, is twice the price as you would find in the US. Go figure? In the Middle East, it's the same price as the States.

Regards,

Greg Watson

Mr Watson is now promoting another "free energy" device the Defkalion cold fusion (OMG) device.

G’Day, I was JUST in Athens and met with representatives of Defkalion. They told me that they were going to begin selling their LENR device this July 2012. I was shown their R&D model which just starts with a flick of the switch. It also turns off with a just a flick of the same switch. They have their model running at 250degc. They can get their LENR to run over 350degc (dry steam), but they need something more than the current fluid that they are using. Rossi has problem shutting down his E-CAT. Rossi is a “one-man-band” and Defkalion has 27 scientists.

Several groups have come to see them including NASA . . . I went there to investigate possible investment. They only want BIG investors. They have MANY OEM (original equipment manufacturers) already on board internationally. They intend to manufacture 300,000 units in the first year. It will cost only 30 Euros/year to operate each LENR device

They have all the European certificates. Everyone else in the world recognises the EU certificates, except the United States. Defkalion had decided the US is in the ‘too-hard-basket’ and won’t manufacture or sell to the US. The units will be monitored via mobile telephone or internet to insure their proper operation.

I was told that they were trying to actually see what happens in their device with some glass with a melting point of 1500degc. They saw it light up like the sun and then it melted the glass. This just took a second or two. I was told what their working theory was, but they really don’t know what is going on. They have brought in several academics with a myraid of explanations . . .

I was told specifics, but was asked to keep them confidential.
Best Regards
Greg

Probably not a great idea to invest any money in that one!

[JolyV]

Hi Greg,

this is a great idea, Congratulations.