Keeling Curve

Project Summary / Description:

Few people are aware of the importance of and impact that energy efficiency and conservation have had on our energy infrastructure. Our predominant cultural approach is to seek magic pill , production-based solutions to energy, opposed to simply wasting less and being more intelligent and responsible with available resources. Knowing that energy efficiency improvements just for home refrigerators reduce more carbon than all the solar panels and wind in the U.S., our motivation was to innovate other efficiency and conservation solutions.
S.I.S. development was inspired by the Japanese Himawari, a fiberoptic daylighting system that had no economic advantage over windows and skylights. R&D was initiated for a retrofittable solution having a marketable customer ROI without the subsidies that other technologies rely on. 
Supported by a DOE market study, a fiber optic daylighting concept similar to the Himawari was researched by Oak Ridge National Labs. That approach and others failed in the market because of an unattractive ROI for the customer.
S.I.S. integrates an innovative telescopic mirror system. Telescopes are designed and prototyped with computer programs. The S.I.S. telescope has already been prototyped via NASA computer modeling, which demonstrated the concept works with even a simple configuration. A small physical prototype also performed to expectations. 
The current development strategy is to fabricate a full-scale pre-production unit, demonstrate it on a big-box chain retailer building or sustainably aligned business, validate performance, obtain a purchase order for an entire facility demonstration, and then seek $3.5M in capital to bring the production unit to market.

Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Mission Statement:

Understanding that economic factors are critical for broad adoption of clean technologies, Sun Illumination Systems (S.I.S.) daylighting was conceived and designed to be cost effective without reliance on tax credits or other subsidies.

We also strongly believe that corporate social responsibility should be an obligation, not an option, and that that corporations can be highly profitable while doing good for both people and the planet.

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Molly Lavik 310-488-4401 http://molly.lavik@mentorinsight.net