Go Solar for Free Hot Water

(Page 6 of 6)

February/March 2007
By Bob Ramlow 
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Bob Ramlow has more than 30 years of experience with solar energy systems. He currently owns a renewable energy consulting company, and he is a co-founder and member of the board of directors for the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. This article was adapted from Solar Water Heating, a Mother Earth News Book for Wiser Living from New Society Publishers.
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  • Mike Rogers 6/28/2009 9:42:50 AM

    Great article, and right on. I’m glad to hear more poeple talking about this! Solar thermal (hot water) is an easy way to step into renewables (although I always recommend starting with energy-efficiency first). Check out a solar solar hot water hot water video at: http://greenhomesamerica.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/solar-hot-water-video/

    Ron's comments miss a couple of things. First, currently there are federal tax credits for 30% of the sytem. And many states and utilities offer additional incentives. With incentives in cold and cloudy New York, for example, we see expected paybacks in the 5-6 year ranges. Second--it seems he's comparting the cost of an inefficient water heater, without installation, to the cost of a fully installed solar hot water system.

    Thanks,
    Mike

  • Ron 8/30/2008 9:09:19 PM

    Aw, c'mon. Seven grand upfront for solar hot water. A water heater is about five hundred bucks, and costs about three hundred a year to operate. You are talking about a payback going on fifteen to twenty years. That's not realistic for most people. You really have to do better than that. You are throwing stuff out here as if we can't do basic math.

  • George Works 8/18/2008 1:46:24 PM

    I have solar hot water and love it. My wife and I live in the tropics on an island where sunlight is plentiful and electricity is costly. Three years ago we installed a solar water heater with an 80 gallon tank and two 15 square foot collector panels. Our heater uses a separate coolant loop to heat the tank with convective flow -- no pumps. The tank has a backup electric heater element which we did not connect. We have never had a day without hot water, even after two or three cloudy days.

    I should perhaps add that we learned to conserve water while living on a sailboat, and would do so anyway because our water comes from rain water stored in a cistern. Still, we both shower daily and wash dishes three times a day.

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