The German company, Solitem GmbH, purchased the Green Machine from GCGE to demonstrate their solar thermal technology on Turkey’s Middle East Technical University’s North Cyprus Island Campus. GCGE, with the assistance of METU, ElectraTherm, and Solitem, installed and commissioned an ElectraTherm Green Machine for METU to initiate research on small scale solar thermal power generation. The campus sits on prime solar power real estate where Solitem’s 2,325 sq. ft. PTC1800 parabolic through collectors (PTC) were installed and supply hot water for the Green Machine. The hot water collected by the solar thermal array is pumped to the Green Machine to heat a working fluid that, under pressure, moves ElectraTherm’s twin screw expander to generate electricity.
Here is what METU had to say about working with GCGE:
Dear Loy Sneary,
Currently, our pilot installation based on ElectraTherm’s Green Machine is at the stage of development and testing, and we are communicating with our research partner, Solitem GmbH, in view of tuning the current solar field with the capabilities of the Green Machine, for which ElectraTherm and Gulf Coast Green Energy are providing full support. Once the experimental pilot plant is tuned, we will launch the data collection and evaluation process within the scope of the joint research project with Solitem, and at the same time use the facilities for our own research agenda, which involves but not limited to system modeling and modification. We plan to scale up this promising project in the future and to collaborate with Solitem and Gulf Coast Green Energy to generate new knowledge and applications on renewable energy. We are excited to be part of the first group in our region researching on the viability of converting low-grade small-scale solar thermal energy to electric power, and believe that this project will help create a technological infrastructure to this end.
Regards,
Tolga Torun
METU Northern Cyprus Campus
Construction and Technical Services
