If you're going to buy a satellite dish, why not get one that can heat water and cool your home? That's the thinking behind Transoptic's 2-in-1 device, which consists of a honeycomb-like layer of hexagonal mirrors or a chrome-coated plastic reflector placed on top of a satellite dish. The system comes outfitted with a PVC tube, receiver, and evacuated tube--so it can both receive TV signals and concentrate sunlight onto an optical collector to heat water.
Transoptic, a finalist in last year's California Clean Tech Open, wants to sell 2-square-meter dishes at $300 a pop, with each dish generating 82 Therms of energy each year. A standard water heater requires 58 Therms each year, so the dish could almost certainly provide more than enough heat. Installation for the device will cost about $300 to $400.
Instead of selling directly to consumers, Transoptic plans on pitching its system to roofers, distributors, and home developers. The company has already lined up its first customer--a track home builder--but it still needs $250,000 to begin manufacturing. Any takers?
