Jul. 19—SOUTH WINDSOR — Enviro Power, a local energy technology company, has caught the attention of U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, who named the firm his innovator of the month for June.

Murphy said that Enviro Power would provide homes with affordable, reliable, and environmentally friendly heating with a system that generates electricity at close to zero cost.

"High energy costs make it more difficult for Connecticut families to keep their homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer," Murphy said.

Enviro Power CEO Dan Nadav said that in addition to being an efficient boiler system on its own, the company's SmartWatt Boiler can capture heat from the system that would otherwise be lost to convert into electricity.

"On one end, we're lowering the emission profiles of a building, and on the other, allowing the property to gain significant savings on electricity bills," Nadav said.

Nadav said the conversion from heat to electricity uses the same process and technology as a solar panel. Beyond that, it features a backup battery for the storage of electricity and the ability to "black-start" the boiler, which allows it to provide heat and electricity in the event of a power outage.

"We moved from Akron, Ohio, five years ago, and I think that we've already experienced three or four outages that were three days or longer," Nadav said.

Nadav said power outages can be more serious with the trend toward working from home.

"It's one thing to not have your refrigerator working. It's another thing that you can't communicate with your clients," Nadav said.

Nadav said the company has installed pilot units throughout New England and is gearing up to install its first production units in Connecticut this month.

Nadav said the debut model is designed for commercial buildings and multifamily dwellings larger than 3,000 square feet. He said the company is working on a smaller residential model that it plans to bring to market in 2024.

"The Holy Grail of the market is the residential market," Nadav said.

Nadav said he would expect the retail model to have a $2,000 to $3,000 premium over other heating systems, which should pay for itself with electricity cost offsets in under two years. He said a homeowner with such a system should be able to claim the same tax credits that solar panel owners are eligible for.

Joseph covers East Hartford and South Windsor. He joined the JI in July 2021. Joseph graduated from the University of Connecticut and he is an avid guitarist and coffee enthusiast.