While some may say there are no new ways to improve power systems to promote a more sustainable and environmentally friendly operation, a recent announcement from Calgary-based Global Thermoelectric, proves critics wrong.

In fact, the company has introduced a new system that relies almost solely on the sun’s energy to generate power. The new “GlobalSolarHybrid system,” uses Global Thermoelectric's bedrock technology, a Thermoelectric Generator, or “TEG,” in a backup capacity.

Bruce Taylor, president of Global Thermoelectric, said that, while this is not new technology, it is a very smart deployment of existing technology.

“We’ve had all sort of customers in the past five years who are under pressure to use green technology, but are disappointed with the reliability of their solar systems,” Taylor said. 

And, with the new product release, it seems the company’s listened to their customers’ requests. 

“The GlobalSolarHybrid solution uses solar power at the maximum amount available, with a TEG as a backup,” Taylor said. “We gave them what they're asking for. It's a green solution, and it's reliable - the best of both worlds.”

According to company officials, the new system represents an ideal combination of two distinct technologies – sun’s energy to generate power and the TEG – that will give companies in the oil and gas industry a run for their money, and those in the telecom industry, something to talk about. 

The GlobalSolarHybrid system ensures unwavering reliability and operations on a 24/7, every day basis, for applications such as wellhead monitoring equipment, supervisory control and data acquisition, or “SCADA,” cathodic protection and communications equipment.

And, to ensure the new system has the best of both worlds, the system is backed up by TEG that operates on natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas. With significantly lower fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions than most other power generation technologies – and a smaller environmental footprint than many pure solar systems – the system is diverse yet environmentally friendly. 

Global Thermoelectric's Director of Product Line Management, Dennis Prediger, said that the TEG is useful because pure solar power can often be unreliable. 

“By marrying these two technologies, we are able to draw on a guaranteed energy supply,” Prediger said. “And we've optimized and standardized the product to help make it affordable for our customers.”

And, for companies looking to create an effective system, but not break the bank in this current economic crisis, this solution has all the benefits, for the right price.

“We were looking for a relatively low-cost, efficient way to provide power with a small footprint,” Steve Anglea, project sales manager with Biomark, Inc., said, adding that the GlobalSolarHybrid systems are extremely reliable and have proven results, making the system full circle in all attractive and necessary qualities.