Solar energy has been called the wave of the future.  MacroAir Technologies, a company founded on the very principal of innovation, is surfing that wave with the introduction of the MacroVoltaic fan.  Receiving the highest certified rating, the MacroVoltaic fan is the only solar high volume low speed (HVLS) industrial fan on the market. Established by Walter Boyd, the inventor of HVLS commercial fan technology, and a family-owned company since its inception in 1995, MacroAir combines technology with a unique application of the laws of physics to produce air-circulating fans for use in large industrial, commercial, and agricultural/farm buildings. 

HVLS fan technology is unique in that it is designed to generate a column of air that flows down to the ground and outward 360 degrees.  This large, slow moving air mass moves throughout the space, mixing and circulating air more efficiently without generating the noise and dust created by other industrial fans.  This unique movement of air not only offers cooling comfort in hot weather, but also provides comfort in cool weather, as well.  Because a variance in temperatures often exists during winter months, MacroAir fans are designed to effectively combine elevated heat with cool air at the floor level.  This de-stratification of the uneven temperatures at varying levels in a building provides a more comfortable, uniform temperature while saving money on heating costs.  Because comparable high-speed fans focus on using their speed to increase fan displacement, a commercial fan delivering air at 20 mph requires about 64 times as much power as one of the same size delivering air at 5 mph.

Because MacroAir fans are already far more energy efficient than standard industrial fans, the conversion to solar energy has been a natural progression for an already innovative use of technology.  Solar power, particularly the solar panels, have traditionally been very expensive to purchase.  The panels are sold in various wattages at an average cost of about $3.50 per watt.  However, because the HVLS fans only consume approximately 400 watts of power, smaller solar panels are able to easily power the MacroAir fans.  Because such a small investment is required to purchase the panels necessary to power the MacroVoltaic, it is ideal for the conversion to solar power.

MacroVoltaic’s panels have a 20-year warranty and are rated for full sunlight.  By using panels at wattages slightly higher than needed, the design ensures that the solar fan will function at full speed most of the time.  The solar panels produce direct, or DC current, which is a current flowing in only one direction.  Most motors are operated using an AC current, or a current that flows in both directions.

The MacroVoltaic air movement system includes the HVLS fan with an attached controller.  The controller is a specialized component that converts the DC power from the solar panels into usable power for the fan motor.  In an entirely unique application, the motor and controller are designed to work together in a manner that is unlike any other traditional DC or AC motor.  The MacroVoltaic system also includes the solar panels, standard remote control, an optional auxiliary power supply, and an optional battery backup.

The MacroVoltaic is designed to operate in a variety of methods to best meet individualized consumer needs.  The system can be used as a stand-alone solar fan, as a solar fan with auxiliary backup, as a solar fan with battery backup, or as a solar fan with both auxiliary and battery backup. 

Used as a stand alone solar fan, the MacroVoltaic system is ideal for consumers who want a completely solar air-cooling system.  This method may benefit consumers who are looking for energy alternatives or are unable to run traditional AC power sources to remote locations and who are utilizing the fans primarily during daylight hours. 

When used in conjunction with auxiliary backup, the MacroVoltaic fan can be used even when sunlight is not available to power the system.  Additionally, although the optional battery backup does require some additional investment in the solar panels, the excess wattage produced is used to charge the batteries and store the energy for use at night or during cloudy weather.  When both the auxiliary and battery backup are utilized, the batteries are still charged through the solar panels, but the auxiliary power ensures that there will always be a power source available to run the system.

In keeping with the company’s assertion that it offers the “greenest fans on earth,” the energy efficiency of the MacroAir line of fans not only provides its consumers with significant savings, but it also provides incredible benefit to the environment.  By reducing energy consumption and the amount of pollutant emissions, using solar power increases the quality of life, as well as the sustainability of the natural resources of our planet.