Thermoelectric generators to reduce carbon footprint when traveling
Those who choose to travel by camper or sailing boat generally do it because they love freedom and being in contact with nature. That feeling of belonging to the Earth that you have when you are surrounded by the blue of the ocean or the green of the mountains, far away from crowded places, cannot be given by any hotel in the world. A type of travel that comes from the love for our beautiful planet, however, cannot fail to take into consideration the environmental impact that the way of traveling has.
Whether in a campervan or on a boat, you inevitably need a generator that produces the energy necessary for simple daily activities, from charging your mobile phone to keeping a small refrigerator running. The most common generators on the market are diesel powered, which is highly polluting. It is precisely from the idea of being able to enjoy time outdoors, knowing that you made an environmentally friendly choice, that the super-technological new energy generators of the Italian company Mobil Tech are born.
The company, which in June 2015 also received a recognition from the European Community for the initiative and efficiency of its products, has found a solution to meet the needs of those who love to travel in total freedom, by solving the problem of energy production with high environmental impact. Their new range of batteries for RVs, trucks and boats is called ZEUS and it consists of a series of innovative thermoelectric generators with enough power to support all the most common utilities.
The generators work thanks to the Seebeck effect, the one used by NASA today to power lunar rovers and space probes in their expeditions. Electricity is generated by the temperature difference created between the two faces of a module made up of bismuth telluride, which is an excellent semiconductor material. Mobil Tech, in collaboration with the CNR, has refined the mechanism of the generators, making sure that the temperature difference was big enough to guarantee the necessary energy production.
All generators have a next-gen oil burner inside which produces heat. The heat is absorbed by the hot side of the Seebeck plates. The other side, on the other hand, is cooled on boats by the temperature of sea or river water, while on campers by a closed circuit that uses coolant and a radiator.
The generators have excellent performance, are silent, reduce fuel consumption and obviously guarantee maximum environmental compatibility. In addition, they can be integrated with other clean energy sources, such as solar and wind energy. The generator is able to choose the best energy source by itself, giving priority to that produced by solar panels and wind generators and minimizing the consumption of fossil fuel.
Currently on the market there are two types: the ZEUS200 which can deliver up to 200W and has a charge capacity of 400A per day and the ZEUS80 which produces 80W.