Colin Gillam of Mt Evelyn hopes his invention of solarBy Tania Martin
A MT Evelyn businessman is leading the way in the quest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Colin Gillam has invented a product called the Sun Lizard which works on similar principals to solar hot water, but has the capacity to heat and cool buildings.
After 16 years of perfecting a way to use solar heating and cooling it is now ready to take the world by storm.
The Sun Lizard heats the air, and then pumps that air using a fan around the building to keep people warm in winter
While in summer the fan is used as a heat extractor, pulling rising heat from the building and venting it outside.
Mr Gillam said he first started investigating the option to create solar heat and cooling because he wanted to find a way to reduce energy consumption.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges has now adopted the solar power heating and cooling for two of its libraries in Montrose and Yarra Junction.
Mayor Tim Heenan said the use of the locally invented product is a part of the shire’s push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“This initiative is a great way to demonstrate to the community that we are serious about combating climate change,” he said.
Shire, water and resources coordinator, Rachel Murphy, said installing the Sun Lizards reduces the council’s reliance on fossil fuels as well as representing a way for people to save money on power bills.
“It’s just one way we can make a positive difference,” she said.
“We may even inspire people in the community to see what they can do to reduce greenhouse gases.”
The council knows that the Sun Lizard works because it has been trialling it since last year when one was installed at the Birdsland Environmental Education Centre in Belgrave South.
It is anticipated that the installation of the Sun Lizards will reduce 17,452 mega joules or more than seven tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions for the shire a year.
Mr Gillam said it is fantastic that the council has jumped on board and is helping to promote the use of alternative power supplies.
He hopes in years to come the Sun Lizard will be mass-produced so that it will be cheap enough for average people to be able to buy.
Currently they retail at $2500 per Sun Lizard which makes it inaccessible to most people, but Mr Gillam hopes that will soon change.
