Solar hot water is nothing new. In the 1920`s southern USA, solar hot water panels were popular, but as the push for electricity and gas heated water rose the technology began to lose its appeal. From around the middle of the last century, solar hot water has started to boil again around the world and now is becoming extremely popular as a means of reducing your energy costs.
Hot Water Shower
Modern technology has made them ever more versatile and efficient, not only being able to operate under an overcast sky, but even in the coldest of temperatures, current versions still perform well and are becoming a common part of new residential buildings in lots of countries. In fact even some states, like Hawaii, have made it mandatory that all new homes come equipped with Solar Hot Water Panels.
In fact it is not just homeowners that can benefit from solar hot water, many business can utilize this simple system to provide hot water for their workplaces. As lots of employment is during the day hours, then that is when water use is at its most, co-incidentally that is when hot water made from solar energy is at its most efficient. The savings in utility bills can be staggering.
As solar becomes more popular the technology advances in leaps and bounds. Current developments have improved the efficiency, with the most recent technologies being able to extract more than double the heat from the sun than versions of a few years ago. This could deter you from going ahead now and installing your system while you wait for even more efficient thermal devices to come on the market.
If you are planning to purchase a new-build then it would really be much much cheaper to have your system incorporated now as it would increases your costs by very little, compared to the development, but would be a large reduction on your energy costs. For your current residence, then I would also suggest installing a system as soon as possible to start saving energy. In either system once installed and if in a few years time technology produces even more efficient products then the design should be able to have the system retro-fitted. All the mounting and pipe work has already been done and retro-fitting would be as simple and each as changing a light bulb as the solar collector would be where the technology is most likely to improve.
Some Countries and States are offering solar incentives, grants or rebates that can reduce the cost of installing solar energy products, including solar hot water panels. If you happen to be in one of those catchment areas then take up the offer now as more thermal systems are fitted then most of the rebates will be reduced or expire.
Related posts:
No Comments Yet - be the First!