Technology & Sustainability
“If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it.”
Lyndon B. Johnson
Asphalt Emulsion vs. Coal Tar for Commercial Applications
In 2004, at the age of 19 my younger siblings and I started a commercial sealcoat business to help pay for college. With three of us being Eagle Scouts, we opted to go with the more expensive but environmentally friendly asphalt emulsion blends of sealcoat vs. coal tar. Coal tars contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogens that can get into into your homes and lakes via storm water runoff. Coal tars were later banned in MN 2014. On the technology side, we used aerial imaging software along with county GIS databases for estimating commercial jobs. We also took a cloud first vs. traditional on-premise approach for our CRM, Accounting, Estimating, and Project Management software.
High Altitude Kites for Wind Energy
In 2008, I wrote my Business Capstone Project/Business Plan on using high altitude kites to generate electricity. Kites access higher elevation winds that move faster and more consistently producing ~3-4x as much energy as wind turbines at potentially a much lower cost. We acquired and tested foil and leading edge inflatable traction/power kites ranging in 9 to 60 feet in width. The autopilot flying software is still a work in progress but a goal and passion project.
Electric Cars
In 2014 We made the jump into the electric vehicle space moving forward with a Nissan Leaf. Even back then it was amazing to feel the torque vs. gas powered vehicles. As long as you didn't need to use air conditioning, if it wasn't cold outside, and if you didn't drive much over 60 mph, you could get ~85 miles of range. Great for driving around town, but not ideal for client visits.
As the technology progressed in 2019 we transitioned to a Tesla Model 3. The range was ~210 miles and the technology and charging infrastructure were also much improved. With this vehicle we also made the jump into the Full Self Driving (FSD) software package. The goal of FSD is to eventually allow the car to drive you as a passenger without any driver intervention. If you would like to learn more or try out the tech please contact us.
Solar Panels & Solar Power
In 2019/2020 we installed a 38 panel, 11.5 kW solar array. The system is designed to handle 100% of our electric needs and produces an additional 20% which is shared back into the grid. Our system was designed and implemented by All Energy Solar and monitored by SolarEdge software. The PV system powers our company home office, robotic lawn mower, electric vehicle and electric boat.
Robotic Lawnmower
In 2020 we added "Gash" our Worx Landroid robotic electric lawnmower. Gash is fully autonomous, uses a patented AIA (Artificial Intelligence Algorithm), is extremely energy efficient and is easily controlled via software/mobile app. Unlike traditionally mowing once a week, Gash mows everyday clipping the lawn gradually. Making quarter inch cuts means natural re-fertilizing, less stress to the grass, less watering and less chemicals creating a more sustainable, healthy lawn.
Yacht Solar - Dinghy Testing
2022 - our Saturn solar powered electric boat is a work in progress. It is ~14 feet long, weighs 140 pounds and has a loading capacity of 1700 lbs. The boat is powered by a 3 HP, Electric outboard motor with built-in 1276 Wh lithium battery. Combined motor/battery weight is 42 lbs. Range is ~22 miles with runtime of 5 hours at a speed of 7.1 knots. We are in the process of adding a 180W solar charger and converted to extend the range by ~20+%. If you would like to learn more or try out the tech please contact us.
Thank you for learning more about our past, present and future focus on technology and sustainability.
If you care about changing the world for the better and/or are looking to partner with a company that shares these views please consider
SAASY CLOUD Technology Solutions.