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Polarsol - a disruptive hybrid heat management solution for global markets

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Polarsol Phase Two (Polarsol - a disruptive hybrid heat management solution for global markets)

Período documentado: 2016-05-01 hasta 2017-04-30

The energy market is rapidly transforming towards locally produced renewable energy. At the same time the society is concerned about the environmental aspects and dependence on carbon based energy. Polarsol’s mission is to become one of the most influential drivers of that transformation by providing means for highly cost-efficient local generation of clean heating. Polarsol has brought to the market the most advanced in terms of cost-efficiency hybrid heat management solution that can be successfully applied across EU.
Polarsol hybrid system utilizes a proprietary patented heat exchanger in various system components and combines solar thermal with exhaust air heat pump and waste heat recovery properties in a very unique way. As a bonus, the same equipment may be also used for cooling purposes! The system can be successfully applied for heating/cooling and hot water supply for detached houses, multi-story buildings, industrial facilities, and recreation centers as well as for industrial scale waste heat recovery. With Polarsol’s solutions clean energy becomes the real economical alternative without any public incentives. In addition to that it has a tremendous environmental impact.
The project consists of activities required for a successful go-to-market phase. After the project implementation Polarsol’s business will be ready for scaling up and expansion to international markets.
Main outcomes of the project:
● increased production and organizational capacity
● established partner network with well-operating B2C distribution channels
● commercially verified pilot implementations in three priority B2B market segments identified in Phase 1
● first deliveries to international markets: Estonia, Sweden, Germany, Italy
● production facilities certified according to ISO 9001:2015
● products certified by TÜV according to the new industry standards
● first deliveries of a hybrid collector that combines solar power, solar heat and air heat properties
The first reporting period of Polarsol Phase 2 project includes working to improve company’s operational capacity, preparing the company for commercialization and global growth by developing distribution channels and starting operations abroad, starting to negotiate and implement proof-of-concept pilot cases and working for dissemination of project results.

Improving Polarsol’s operational capacity started with designing and building a new tailor-made spot welding machine and making new production plans about working in two, three in five shifts. Polarsol has sent products to the testing center of TÜV and is waiting for the last testing results and reports. Company also received an ISO 9001-2015 quality certificate for its production facilities.

Polarsol acknowledges the importance of contacts and partner network in sales and distribution. Company has expanded its distribution network and given presentations in the meetings of local HVAC associations intending to reach new potential cooperation partners. The work has also included negotiating with leading project offices in Finland and the vendors of modelling software in Finland and Sweden. Polarsol has been involved in a development project coordinated by the City of Tampere and development project USE – Urban Smart Energy pilot project. In the first reporting period company also investigated alternative distribution models and negotiated with a few potential company that could promote the sales of Polarsol’s products.

Actions for preparing for global growth consists of founding a new branch in Estonia to sell and promote Polarsol’s heating systems. Polarsol’s heating systems have been delivered both to Estonia and Central Europe. Preparing for growth has also included improving company’s management by recruiting specialists of IT-services, HVAC and machine engineering.

Due to short presence on the market of heating solutions, it is important to provide the proof-of-concept and validation data to reach larger markets. Polarsol has been negotiating about implementation of three different kind of pilot cases: heat recovery from exhaust air of multi-story building, waste heat recovery in spa center and heat recovery from condensation water emissions by industrial processes of power plants. Implementation of hybrid collector combining solar PV, solar heat and air heat has been started. Company has also developed a smartphone/tablet application that enables following the operation of Polarsol heating system.

Actions executed to develop Polarsol’s PR and communication consists of improving company’s web presence by developing the website and publishing new language versions, improving the visual presence by design a new demo booth that will be used in different kind of events to promote Polarsol’s heating solutions. Company has also installed demo heating systems in Finland to present the operation of Polarsol’s heating systems. Preparation work for EXPO 2017 in Astana has been started.

As a result of the first reporting period, Polarsol has developed its preparedness for highly potential growth in demand of Polarsol's heating solutions by increasing the production capacity and expanding the distribution network. Three pilot cases are progressing towards implementation and they are expected to be followed by new orders from potential partners after the operations of those systems have been validated. Polarsol will be ready to participate EXPO 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan where Polarsol has been selected to the Best Energy Practices area. Delivering heating systems abroad has been started and certification processes of three Polarsol’s products are nearing the completion.
Polarsol has been developing new innovative and unique products for heating solutions along the project. New products that company has been designing are for example components for cooling systems, recuperation components for exhaust air channels of restaurant kitchens and flue gas channels. Mentioned products, like all the other Polarsol components, include Polarsol’s unique heat exchanger that gives products superior performance even in harsh conditions. New products are at the prototype phase and they are being developed all the time.

Polarsol aims to continuously compose new innovative ideas and develop new unique products based on those ideas. With new products Polarsol aims to make heating and cooling solutions more effective and thereby enable heating and cooling with less carbon dioxide emissions.
Polarsol's demo booth