by Brianna Crandall — July 23, 2018 — Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker joined energybank Founder and CEO Neal Verfuerth along with more than 100 area business leaders and elected officials for the recent unveiling of Fusion — LED powered directly by the sun. Patent-pending Fusion is touted as a completely new way of harnessing solar power to directly energize light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures in commercial/industrial applications. It is said to be the latest breakthrough in economically viable renewable energy.
Energybank’s Fusion technology harnesses solar power to directly energize LED fixtures in commercial/industrial applications. Image courtesy energybank
Governor Scott Walker commented at the energybank ceremony:
The best way to be green is to make green or save green. Anyone with operations knows that you want to avoid getting above peak at peak demand times. This is a phenomenal technology. We are absolutely thrilled that it’s being done right here in the state of Wisconsin.
Fusion puts the power of the sun into illuminating a facility by using the DC power output from solar panels to directly energize LED fixtures — eliminating the inefficient, expensive and complex conversion process from DC to AC back to DC. Photons in, photons out. No conversion losses. This allows businesses to reduce lighting operating costs to nearly zero during a portion of the day during peak utility rates, says energybank.
Inventor Neal Verfuerth remarked:
These are exciting times. It’s been 17 years since I patented my first lighting product, the Illuminator. Fusion takes it to the next step, transferring DC energy as it’s produced by the sun directly into the LED fixture. Nobody has done it before.
Fusion is said to be both economically and environmentally sustainable. When electricity is at its most expensive, Fusion LED luminaries use solar power, and not electricity, to operate. During daylight hours, Fusion can provide all or a majority of light from solar power while maintaining a desired light level set point. No power or only minimal power from the utility is used.
Verfuerth continued:
When the sun shines, it offers an environmentally friendly lighting source for multiple applications. We are excited for the future of the world now that we have a cost-effective way to harness solar energy. A very practical application of the technology could be disaster-relief housing fashioned from shipping containers, particularly in disaster-stricken areas like Puerto Rico where the electricity is still down.
With electricity for lighting typically in the top five of commercial/industrial expenses, the company says Fusion offers customers an innovative renewable energy technology that is energy efficient, cost effective, market based and scalable.
For more information about Fusion or to watch a video dramatizing its history and introduction, visit the energybank website.
