Full, who grew up in Calgary and describes herself as “proudly Canadian,” founded SunSaluter in 2006.
Full designed a device that maximizes solar energy collection and filters water at the same time.
The SunSaluter device, which she compares to a sunflower, uses a simple water filtration system to act as weights and adjust the angle of solar panels throughout the day to follow the sun.
In the morning, someone collects four litres of water into bottles, which are set up to a drip mechanism on one side of the solar panel, and the drip rate adjusted. On the other side, a counterweight is attached. As the water flows from the bottles, it is filtered and the panels rotate to follow the sun because the weight balance changes. The SunSaluter provides 40 per cent more power and filtered water by the end of a day.
Sixteen countries have SunSaluters. They include Egypt, where the company recently shipped three.
Full studies mechanical engineering at New Jersey’s Princeton University. She had taken some time off school after she was awarded one of the first Thiel fellowships in 2011 — a $100,000 award for young people to take two years off school and pursue a passion project. The young entrepreneur has been named one of the Forbes top 30 under 30 in the energy category three times.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/solar-energy-s-canadian-bright-lights-3-entrepreneurs-helping-the-developing-world-1.3067116