Press Release

FSEC-Developed Ceiling Fan Saving Consumers $12.5 Million Annually

Sherri Shields Press Release , ,

The Gossamer Wind. series ceiling fans – the first residential ceiling fans specifically designed and engineered to maximize air movement and improve indoor comfort – have sold more than 678,000 units since being commercially marketed in 2001. It is estimated that these fans are saving users more than $12.5 million in energy costs every year.

The fans were developed by Danny Parker, a researcher at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), following a talk he had several years ago with his father-in-law, a long-time airline pilot. They discussed the shape of airplane propellers and how the design differed from that used in conventional ceiling fans, which are very popular in homes and businesses. Parker thought about the conversation during research he was conducting at FSEC on energy-efficient cooling strategies, and he conceived the idea of a unique propeller-like fan blade design. Working with AeroVironment, Inc., a company that specializes in aerodynamic design, and Bart Hibbs, a CalTech physicist who created the propeller for the first human-powered aircraft (the Gossamer Albatross), the concept was turned into an advanced airfoil designed to effortlessly cut through the air with an even load across its length. Read more

Florida Solar Energy Center and Partners to Receive $3.99 Million from U.S. Department of Energy for Hydrogen Research

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A team comprised of the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) of San Diego, CA and Universidad del Turabo (UT), Gurabo, PR, will receive $3,999,805 from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct research on the production of hydrogen by thermochemical water-splitting cycles. This project is one of 36 research projects that will receive more than $75 million to support the President’s Hydrogen Fuel Initiative announced on October 19 by DOE. Read more

FSEC Receives Contract to Improve Efficiency of Central Air Conditioners

Sherri Shields Press Release , , ,

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), under funding from the State Technologies Advancement Collaborative, will participate in a research project to reduce the energy use of residential air-conditioning systems. The project will focus on the development of next-generation central air-conditioning performance ratings, development of a central air conditioner specifically for hot/humid climates, and contractor training. Southern Company Services will also contribute funds toward FSECs portion of the project. Read more

FSEC Receives Contract to Expand Building Energy Simulation Program

Sherri Shields Press Release , , , , , , ,

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has received a $252,000 contract from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory to expand the modeling capabilities of DOEs EnergyPlusTM building energy simulation program.

The program is being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and a number of other contributors, including FSEC. It lets architects, engineers, building owners and managers assess the impacts of their design choices and operating practices on energy use and operating costs. Read more