Freedom, independence, sustainability, zero pollutant … the possibilities of solar energy They are carried to their maximum expression in this house in Asturias that shows that it is possible, at a residential level, to end energy dependence.
Thanks to Sunthalpy technology, a comprehensive system (at a construction level) very advanced to get the most out of solar energy, this house celebrated its first anniversary of disconnection from the traditional electricity grid last October and that, in an Atlantic climate. According to its builders, “their independence is total and it includes supplying the family car, which of course is 100% electric. “Because the house, in addition to being energy self-sufficient,” is not polluting for the environment, “they tell us.
This unique house in the Asturian mountains is the dream and reward of Omar Suárez, (CEO and founder of Sunthalpy Engineering, SL), who has focused his professional career on materializing a book he read as a child.
In 1985, when Omar Suárez read “La casa solar”, he created such an impact on him that The possibility of building houses that worked only with solar energy has been the dream that has guided his entire professional life.
Both in his training (Industrial Engineering), as in the workplace, always oriented towards industrialization, automation and energy industries, in 2017 he founded Sunthalpy to carry out the innovation that he had devised for years.
Omar presents his first project already completed. It is the only house built in an Atlantic climate totally disconnected from the electricity grid that uses only solar energy to function. Is a single-family house of 200 square meters with swimming pool included where a family of 4 lives.
At the beginning of October 2020, he disconnected the building from the electrical network that he maintained as a security, so that a family can carry out its life and simply use it as an energy resource the sunlight that reaches its facade.
Refrigeration, heating, hot water, electricity and electrical appliances, a heated swimming pool (over 30º C all year round) and an electric car with which they travel an average of 40 km per day using simply daylight, 365 days a year. In other words, it is a 100% solar house but with the greatest comfort imaginable.
What is Sunthalpy Engineering, SL and the low enthalpy solar building?
Sunthalpy Engineering develops the technology that has made this reality called “low enthalpy solar building”. Basically it is a solar building that works satisfying all energy needs, even though the sun is covered by a dense layer of clouds. It is a technological development patented at European level that has made it possible to overcome the two main problems of the technique for houses to work with 100% solar energy: Capture energy at low temperature on cloudy days and store it efficiently.
The Sunthalpy project has today made the 100% sustainable life that the European Union has set a target for 2050. But the most incredible thing is that it’s a better life and superior comfort to which current fossil fuel economy can deliver.
What technologies are used and how they work
The low enthalpy solar building It is designed in a way similar to how other technological objects are designed like cars: each element of the building is designed with the functioning of the building as a whole in mindIn such a way that traditional elements adopt new functions, generating synergies that make possible what was not possible until now.
the building’s own concrete structure, which actually becomes a high-efficiency thermal battery
Until now, all efforts were focused on independently improving each of the elements.
The basis of all this technology is located in “the building’s own concrete structure, which actually becomes a high-efficiency thermal battery thanks to the inclusion of a radiant floor characterized by a micro-concrete with very high thermal conductivity “, that Sunthalpy tells us and that he has patented throughout Europe. On this floor you can place a screed that has good thermal conductivity (that is: ceramic, porcelain, stone …).
The company explains to us that “this element makes it possible for the building to be heated or cooled using water as low as 20.5ºC. It is a perfect instantaneous heat exchanger, which allows the structural slabs of the building become perfect emitters for heating and cooling, to the point of being able to eliminate the need for air conditioning. This same element can even be used as a solar panel that absorbs and accumulates the solar radiation that reaches the ground through the windows. “
Another fundamental element of the project has been to convert its façade and roof in hybrid heat collectors and electricity integrated into the architecture of the building itself. The thermal part cools the panels
photovoltaics to improve their performance. With that electrical energy you can move a heat pump that allows the thermal panels to operate cold on cloudy winter days, being able to absorb all the diffuse radiation emitted by the clouds to balance the losses of the day.
Another virtue of these panels is that they are very resistant and do not have any maintenance problems as occurred with photo-thermal panels that contained water inside a metal body.
In addition, electrical management is optimized using hybrid panels (photovoltaic and thermal) developed by Sunthalpy that cool the photovoltaic part, increasing its performance, while comprehensive management of all systems is carried out. Once this is achieved, the panels are the most effective and the concrete structures of buildings literally become totally effective free thermal batteries.
The effectiveness of the system is such that it allows the luxury of pouring energy into a heated pool that can be kept above 30º C even in winter, totally free, without any CO2 emission. Is The swimming pool, in turn, acts as a thermal hybrid accumulator that serves as an extra reserve of heat.
What Energy needs a house has and how Sunthalpy meets them
A standard house has the following energy needs:
- Light and Appliances
- Sanitary Hot Water
- Heating
- Air conditioning
In the case of this house it would be necessary to add:
- An electric car
- A hybrid thermal accumulator, which can also be used as a heated swimming pool.
The 80% of all that energy demand of a home corresponds to air conditioning (heating and air conditioning) and sanitary hot water. This house meets that demand thanks to thermal energy generated by absorbing solar radiation, using special solar panels much more resistant and architecturally integrated than those existing up to now. Lhe key of the technology is based on making the panels work cold so that they are able to absorb heat even when there is hardly any light, something that is possible thanks to low enthalpy underfloor heating that allows heating a building using water at only 21 ºC. A soil that also works in summer to cool houses without the need for air conditioning.
Regarding the electrical part, as large quantities are not required for the energy management of the house (only light and electrical appliances), only the photovoltaic panels that are used are enough for the needs of the house; even for the family electric car with which to move for free without polluting. Electric surpluses are stored in conventional electric batteries.
Sunthalpy has a central brain that controls all its systems to offer the best possible experience to users.
Economic and energy savings obtained
This technology is applicable to other buildings and depending on the characteristics of each project (location, sun exposure, investment, etc) the building is it could be totally disconnected or it could be left with a minimal connection. In any case, this technology would be the best energy optimization on the market.
In addition to this project, Sunthalpy is already working on a second project capable of being energy independent.
As they assure “their technology is applicable to all types of houses (even in houses in buildings of horizontal property where the technology can be installed although its energy comes from another source) the energy savings would be much greater”.
They are working to make the Sunthalpy technology industrializable in the medium term – they have signed an alliance with the Alibérico group to make it possible – and so that the cost of this technology can be optimized.
Advantages of using this technology
At the social level, since 40% of CO2 emissions come from air conditioning in homes, if the ambitious goal set by the European Union for 2050 is to be met, Sunthalpy could be
a solution.
As they say, “their technology is potentially compactable and industrializable to make the objective of completely decarbonising in a relatively short time the entire stock of current buildings a reality.”
It is logistically impossible reform all buildings by implementing the much-needed improvement of their insulation, but they say that “through Sunthalpy technology it is possible to use electricity from the renewable grid to air-condition today’s buildings at a lower economic cost than the current one.”
It is about taking steps that bring us closer to a new relationship with energy and if it is to achieve energy independence even better. Because as Omar points out “If solar energy is enough to live in a house in Asturias, what will it not be capable of when you go down or up the plateau. “
Images | Courtesy Sunthalpy
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