This month's issue of Fine Homebuilding includes a detailed article on solar hot water heating systems.
The basic idea is this: if you want to cut your carbon emissions or reduce your energy bills, you get a much bigger bang for your buck by installing solar hot water instead of photovoltaic. It turns out solar water even pencils out in cloudy climates like Oregon and Vermont -- you just need more panels.
Solar Hot Water in Fine Homebuilding
If the idea of solar hot water makes you think of the nice family that no one would talk to after they put giant, ugly panels on their roof, rest assured that the technology has advanced since the 1970's. The article details four basic ways to rig up the system, and while we don't have space to get into it here, the indirect method lets you use compact and attractive evacuated tube collectors like those shown above. Check out Metaefficient's post for more info on them.
Economic calculations are a bit problematic to us -- should we really think of saving the environment as something we should do only if we can afford it? That said, depending on your state's climate and incentives, it's quite possible to get the same energy and carbon savings out of a $6,000 solar hot water system as you would from a $30,000 PV system.
The Fine Homebuilding article is available online to subscribers only, but the article alone is worth the price of the magazine. Or do the green and socially sustainable thing -- check it out at your local library.
image via Metaefficient post linked above
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I'm sorry, but the last time I checked, you can't run your TV or turn on your lights with these things. So unless you have some inordinant need for large volumes of hot water constantly, I don't see where the carbon savings add up relative to solar photovaltaics. Some other things to consider:
-These systems have moving parts that are prone to failure. Solar photovoltaics have no moving parts and are essentially maintenance-free.
-You need to have an effective heat sink in the summer to expel all of that excess hot water.
-There is electricity needed in the operation of the pumps, especially if you have a well-based water source. This is not an insignificant use of electricity.
view hejiranyc's profile
I think it's good to think about all sides of the equation for this type of stuff, but I don't think it's good to be too negative about any type of system, or else that defeats the larger goal.
Yes, the only thing that solar thermal panels and PV panels have in common is that they use the sun as an energy source, beyond that it's apples and oranges.
Solar thermal panels are a really great green item if someone is wanting a renewable resource for their home. PV panels provide a form of electricity, while Solar Thermal panels provide hot water and can assist your furnace and/or radiant heat system. Solar thermal panels have a much shorter payback period than PV panels. Depending on your climate PV panels just don't make economic sense, while solar thermal panels do in most regions. They have less expensive first costs and provide a quicker rate of return.
view RLW's profile