World of Wonders Innovation Prize 2005

Cooling with the Sun – an eighth Wonder of the World!?!

Dare somebody say that there are no innovations in our country: in summer 2005, in the framework of the special series "Wonderland Germany", the Welt der Wunder GmbH (World of Wonders) and RTL II, in cooperation with Volkswagen, have appealed to companies and institutions, but also to single scientists, innovators and tinkerers to develop innovative ideas under the title of "Alternative Energy – Environment and Technology".

The response to that appeal has been overwhelming and the quality of the concepts handed in impressive. The organisers have basically been lavished with ideas that could help to solve the worldwide ever growing problems with energy supply.

Out of numerous applicants, the top-class jury ( among others representatives of the Ministry for Education and Research, the German Aerospace Centre, Volkswagen as well as renowned scientists) picked the SOLITEM GmbH and the parabolic trough technology developed by its managing director Dr. Ahmet Lokurlu as winner of the World of Wonders Innovation Prize 2005.

The jury was not only convinced by the scientific competence but also by the ingenuity and creativity of the innovation. With the help of the Parabolic Trough Collectors developed by SOLITEM, the solar irradiation can be used to operate a highly efficient chiller, which provides air conditioning. Besides, it can also help with the heat and steam supply e.g. in a laundry or an industrial application. A hotel in Turkey has shown that the system is not only ecologically reasonable, but also halves the operation costs of the house, as it satisfies different demands (heat, cold, steam) at the same time and out of an inexhaustible source, the sun.

Meanwhile, visitors from all over the world come to the Technology Centre in Aachen, the head quarter of SOLITEM. Orders and inquiries from Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy, Thailand and the USA motivate to keep on working hard, with the goal to maintain and strengthen the market leadership in this young market opened up by SOLITEM. There are also inquiries from Germany coming in frequently.

The SOLITEM GmbH and its innovation, as well as the other nominees and applicants and their projects, will be presented on Sunday, February 19, at 7 pm in „Welt der Wunder" (World of Wonders) on RTL II.

SOLITEM-Team