To design and integrate a low-cost absorption chiller into existing Fresnel solar thermal collectors for applications worldwide.

The project brief was to develop a technology that would supply steam to industrial and commercial users in India from a very innovative containerized solar thermal system developed originally by Larkfleet Limited under the name of Solar Steam. A team of engineers from Larkfleet have worked almost on a daily basis with Taylormade Renewables Ltd a company located in the north west state of Gujarat where there is a large city called Ahmedabad. This city is known locally as the "Manchester of the North" a very industrialized city of 6 million people where the air quality is heavily polluted from coal burning power stations, diesel emissions and wood burning because there has never been an alternative non polluting system for the production of steam. With the grant assistance the Indian company was contracted to build a modular containerized solar thermal system using Fresnel lenses which were specially designed in the UK. These lenses derive their energy from the sun which is then concentrated onto an evacuated tube abbsorber through which is pumped a thermal fluid or water which is then stored as steam and then used for various applications. The whole system is self energized from a battery pack that operate the hydraulic systems. This battery pack is re-charged from two solar Pv panels mounted on a cassette style platform on which is built the sub structure and lens array all of which is operated hydraulically from a PLC control system using a novel 2D tracking system that maximizes energy outputs from the sun. The system has now been constructed to the overall design supplied from the UK with some input from Cranfield University. This has been a very challenging project as working with Indian companies who have a totally different culture and working practices. In terms of timelines this has proved very difficult through out the period of the build. This has resulted in many delays and set backs to the timelines agreed with Innovate UK. However, the "as built system" is currently undergoing an agreed programme of test protocols after which Larkfleet will look for suitable commercial companies in India to manufacture and market this technology under a licencing agreement for specific territories. This technology has the ability and impact to change peoples’ lives as it will provide OFF - GRID energy in the form of heating, which can also be used for the treatment of saline and waste waters and also provide energy for cooling and irrigation systems particularly in very remote farming areas. This technology will create opportunities for start- up businesses particularly in agriculture and the dairy industries who need steam for processing , pasteurization and cooling. This will also help to provide jobs and lift people out of poverty so they can enjoy a normal healthy life expectancy. This containerized modular system is totally non-polluting with a ZERO carbon footprint which is easily transported to where there is the greatest need in any off-grid environment. There is a increasing demand for this type of technology particularly in the “sun belt” regions of the world which have the largest populations and a growing need for all forms of energy that can be used for water processing for the supply of food and to promote commerce enterprise including hospitals. Finally, there has been contact with the UN in Kyoto who are aware of this system and its suitability for disaster relief situations and they intend to view this system shortly for evaluation and possible use.

Abstract: It is important to understand that Mexico is an oil rich economy being the 12th largest producer in the world. Its population in the 1980’s was 64 million today it is 132 million these huge increases have mainly been attributed to the economic growth of industries such as automobile manufacturing, textiles, chemicals and intensive farming all driven by the availability of cheap energy and low wages particularly compared to their near neighbour the USA. The energy market until very recently was completely controlled by CFE the government owned electricity company now this situation has changed due to reforms of policies by the Mexican government that now allows commercial companies to enter the energy market which is now de-regulated. The make up of the Mexican energy market: 1. Oil 45% 2. Gas 41% 3. Fossil 7% 4. Hydro 4% 5. Renewables 2% 6. Nuclear 1% The Mexican government has pledged that it will reduce its carbon footprint by 40% by 2030 this is currently only 21% and looking at their energy market it is easy to see why because Mexico has an abundance of natural resources including oil and gas both of which create large amounts of carbon dioxide when used for energy generation and in real terms this energy is not expensive. However, there has recently been a change of government which has ambitious plans for economic, social and political reforms that could have positive impacts on using renewable energy technologies particularly Solar Pv and Solar Thermal both of which will help Mexico achieve its Sustainable Development Goals as set out by the UN. The challenge for the Solfress project was to demonstrate the benefits of a technology that has NO carbon footprint by using Fresnel lenses to derive energy from the sun for the development of a solar thermal generator that produces steam and hot water which can also be used for cooling, solar irrigation and treatment of wastewater. The diversity of this technology has many uses in agriculture, food processing, water treatment plants, hotels, hospitals, dairies for pasteurization, pig meat production, textiles, chemicals and many more. There were many challenges for the team to design and manufacture this system which was all done in Mexico using various companies who had the expertise and supply of materials along with academic support from Queen Mary University in London and the Institute of Engineering Research in Mexico. The plant was completed on time within budget and has undergone testing protocols to achieve its objectives. To gain access to the energy markets in Mexico this will be achieved by using established local commercial partners in specific locations working on a licence basis. This green sustainable technology will be manufactured cheaply in Mexico creating jobs and moving people out of poverty and enabling them to live greatly improved lifestyles. Such a technology has only positive impacts on the environment and society by creating a legacy of better healthcare and increased life expectancy. The use of this technology is a truly cost effective alternative to using oil or gas and is easily installed even in remote areas or for disaster relief using the containerized format.

The ever increasing likelihood of flood events occurring has helped to create a pinch-point in the supply of adequate new house builds in key infrastructural areas. It is more difficult to use suitable land in flood risk categories because planning authorities are now being advised by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to “allocate, and where necessary relocate, development away from flood risk areas”; no doubt a sensible step without suitable alternatives. However, this has the cause of moving developments into more green-field sites that require significant civil infrastructure investment, while also creating environmental challenges. Furthermore, housing associations are under severe pressure as they seek to provide suitable accommodation in urbanised areas. Building insurance providers are also on the same trajectory and now refuse to take any risks on new properties built on nominally at risk land. The barriers to building traditionally constructed homes in appropriate planning areas continue to mount on the back of increasingly wetter seasons and climate change. In the face of sub-optimal solutions to the problems highlighted, there is an immediate and pressing need to develop a house with flood proof characteristics. This project seeks to take advantage of a novel lightweight house, whose structure is inert and impervious to moisture, in order to develop an economically viable smart flood proof house (SFPH). To deliver this market innovation, the project will develop: specialist active lifting mechanism, structural lifting platform, associated flexible services modules. Realisation of these technical objectives will result in the creation of a SFPH, which will in turn, bring back into play strategic and desirable land, both for private and social building purposes that is currently deemed too risky to build upon. A multitude of social and economic benefits will also follow

Larkfleet in conjunction with other consortium partners has recently delivered the Startlink lightweight building system. Its aim is to revolutionise house-building and meet Sustainability Code 6 criteria for overall thermal resistance and air-tightness. Startlink is a pultruded glass reinforced composite component kit which can be rapidly assembled into a wide variety of low-rise building forms without metal fastenings. The Startlink lightweight (20% the weight of conventional construction) building system is stable, inert and impervious to moisture, requiring only the addition of insulation to build houses. With appropriate insulation, the Startlink lightweight building system house has lower embodied energy than a conventional timber frame building (containing kiln-dried, irrigated wood and raised from mass concrete footings). It avoids site waste (20-25% of all UK waste) and reduces shipping and assembly costs because of its light weight. Due to its low weight and novel ring beam foundation system, one potential spinoff market it could open up is construction on Flood Risk land. It is envisaged that in the event of potential flooding the lightweight house could be lifted up clear of the water. Beyond the scope of this proof of market project additional enabling innovation would be required to develop the lifting system based on active or passive actuation. The proposed project will assess the commercial viability of the lifting lightweight house and deliver an outline specification for future research and development.

The Startlink lightweight building system is being developed by a consortium of companies with additional funding from the Technology Strategy Board - UK. Its aim is to revolutionise house-building. It is intended that both Passivhaus and Sustainability Code 6 criteria for overall thermal resistance and air-tightness would be met by the external envelope of the prototype Startlink house. The prototype house will be built in Bourne, Lincolnshire. The expected opening date is Autumn 2012.