SolaCatcher Demonstration trials on public housing units
A northern Ireland company called Solaform Ltd was established in late 2013 as a university spinout by a couple of Ulster University researchers with an initial objective to commercialise the SolaCatcher domestic solar water heating technology.
The objective of SolaForm Ltd. is to develop new market ready customer focussed innovative solar based technologies and through a process of licensing and technology transfer, manage and support a "˜licensing out' business model. This core business objective for the company is predicated on increasing the uptake of solar thermal and solar renewable technologies in domestic and commercial applications.
The research and development and generation of near market innovative solar thermal technologies is central to the company's business strategy. Access to the marketplace will be accomplished via the development of appropriate technology licensing agreements with commercial partners/joint ventures and through the transfer of intellectual property rights of individual products from licensor (Solaform Ltd) to the licensee (commercial partner/joint venture). The licensor (Solaform Ltd) will provide the licensee/s with agreed upon rights to exploit individual technologies and know-how for which the licensee will pay the licensor a royalty/s.
SolaCatcher is the first in a series of innovative technologies in the SolaForm Ltd. portfolio. The team have utilised SolaCatcher as a proprietary vehicle from which to establish the company (Solaform Ltd.) by creating the appropriate partnership/joint venture model to progress the SolaCatcher technology through a series of defined phases.
The SolaCatcher is a patented low cost passive solar water heater designed specifically for pre-heating domestic hot water. The system is a completely novel solar water heating design in both operation and installation, and has the potential to improve upon the cost-effectiveness of traditional forms of solar water heating technology applied today.
The SolaCatcher is a pre-heat, lightweight solar collector that has significant benefits over existing solar water heating systems. By virtue of the easy mounting arrangement and simple connection to an existing domestic hot water supply, the system is more cost effective, requires minimal installation time, no parasitic energy use, less disruption to existing DWH supplies and offers a range of alternative mounting options (façade, DIY, apartment living, etc). The product is ideally suited for the retrofit market but has equal application to new build. (See accompanying flyer).
Demonstration trials of the SolaCatcher unit are currently ongoing in 5 domestic tenanted properties across NI. Early results are encouraging and considerable media and commercial interest has been established. The team are presently engaged in a Design for Manufacture exercise with external consultants to optimise cost and performance.
Solaform Ltd are actively seeking industrial partnerships and commercial joint ventures to exploit this exciting technology.
Dr Mervyn Smyth "“ Director Solaform Ltd
Dominic McLarnon "“ Director Solaform Ltd
