In the transition to a world of clean, renewable power – solar, wind, etc. – the same problem always seems to crop up without a readily available solution. That problem is how to store the energy produced for later use. After all, the sun isn’t always shining and the wind is always blowing. Energy storage is the “holy grail”, if you will, of the renewable energy industry.
Arista Power, formerly known as WindTamer Systems, has developed a proprietary “Power on Demand” system that consists of a wind turbine, solar panels, power inverters, and specially designed “Smart” delivery battery storage system, all of which are connected together with a ‘mini-smart grid’. In effect, it is a power and storage unit rolled into one.
Each “Power on Demand” system is custom-tailored by the company’s engineers to provide options to blend renewable energy inputs in an efficient manner. The system works to smooth power demand on the grid, especially at peak hours, and lowers electricity costs by about 30% by providing stored power from its battery when a customer’s demand load hits peak levels.
The system has drawn rave reviews and with good reason. Its payback, or return on investment, period can be as low as 2 to 6 years. This compares very favorably with 15 to 20 years for most stand-alone renewable energy systems that do not incorporate the storage technology contained in the “Power on Demand” system.
However, “Power on Demand” is not Arista Power’s only product. It also has the “Mobile Renewable Power Station”. It is intended to replace portable generators in remote locales that currently run on diesel fuel.
This product is already winning orders, not surprisingly, from customers such as the US Army. The Army purchased one of its “Mobile Renewable Power Stations” and is testing it at its Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. The hope is that Arista’s technology will prove satisfactory and therefore be used in far-off battlefields like Afghanistan where lives are lost every day delivering fuel (energy) to frontline locations.
The company also recently announced that the FBI has placed an order for its “Mobile Renewable Power Station”. Arista Power expects many such orders going forward, especially from the military and other government agencies. This is thanks not only to the quality of the product but to its management’s credibility and marketing contacts with the military in particular.
Much of the success going forward with government contacts may depend on Arista Power’s top-flight management team. The team includes former executives and engineers from Ultralife Corporation, a designer and manufacturer of energy storage and communications systems, such as CEO William A. Schmitz, Mark Matthews and Adeeb Saba. Additionally, five other engineers have joined the company from Ultralife.
With two such cutting-edge products – which are already winning customers – Arista Power seems destined for big things in the years ahead. For more information about the company and its unique technology, visit its website at www.aristapower.com
Let us hear your thoughts below:
