Naked Energy’s Virtu solar tech enters US market

British solar PVT technology company Naked Energy partnered with US-based energy and utility services provider ELM Companies to deploy its TÜV-certified solar heat technology to Graves Hall at Creighton University located in Omaha, Nebraska.

The installation was completed by ELM Companies’ new division, ELM Solar. About 240 pieces of Naked Energy’s Virtu^{Hot HD} solar heat collectors were installed on the rooftop of the new residence hall and will heat water for 400 freshers moving in. 

Naked Energy’s Virtu solution is estimated to reduce more than three times the greenhouse gases per square meter compared to traditional solar PV panels. The installation at Creighton University will have a peak capacity of 69.9 kWp thermal and generate 40 metric tonnes of carbon savings for the dormitory each year.

“Creighton presented us with an ambitious goal, and the new system at Graves Hall will help the university meet its sustainability goals and control energy costs,” said Christophe Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Naked Energy.

“This breakthrough technology aligns seamlessly with our Sustainable Creighton Initiative by putting us in an even stronger position to care for our common home. With the installation of the Virtu^{HOT HD} system, we are creating a cutting-edge campus environment that will help our students and planet thrive into the future,” said Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD, President of Creighton University.

Despite the fact that American colleges generally outperform their British counterparts in terms of sustainability targets, dozens of top schools still rely heavily on fossil fuels to heat and cool their campuses.

Naked Energy’s project at Creighton University delivers a clean energy benchmark for campuses across the country.

“Solar heat technology has enormous potential because it takes the task of heating water, a major energy cost in any building, either off the power or gas grid, resulting in financial and carbon savings for the building owner,” commented Lee C. Graves, Founder and Chairman of ELM Companies.

This installation also marks Naked Energy’s US launch. ELM Solar is set to distribute the company’s technology nationwide.

When both photovoltaic and thermal technologies are combined for electricity and heat production simultaneously, Naked Energy’s product can generate up to 4 times more energy than traditional panels.