Smart Utilities Offering Rebates for Solar Hot Water Systems
So you want to take advantage of the sun’s energy somehow but solar photovoltaics just aren’t in the cards? Solar hot water systems may not be as sexy as their electron-producing counterparts, but in most scenarios, you will get more energy bang for your buck—especially if you’re on a budget—because water heating consumes the most energy in a home after space heating and cooling.
After being seen almost exclusively on the rooftops of Jimmy Carter-era homes, solar hot water panels have made substantive advances in recent years, including efficiency improvements, earning some manufacturers the coveted Energy Star label.
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With that in mind, Oncor Electric Delivery of Texas has announced a $2 million incentive program for solar water heaters, paying residential customers between $600 and $1,500, depending on the size and performance of the newly installed systems. A new solar hot water system costs about $8,000 for an average American home.
The North Texas utility expects to install about 1,100 new solar systems over the next four years. Only homes currently using electric water heating systems in the Oncor service area are eligible.
Along with a host of state and local incentives for solar hot water systems; as well as a new federal tax credit of 30 percent of new qualifying systems, utility rebate programs like these are making solar energy viable for even the tightest of budgets.
Image: CC licensed by flickr user JoePhoto
Here in California the city of Richmond offers rebates too. ($1,000)
But all over the country solar thermal is now 30% off because the Federal tax credit was finally lifted with the new administration from $2000 max to 30%.
Since solar thermal can supply radiators with solar heated water, it can run home heating including radiators, radiant floor systems, even forced air heating, and even (using chillers) air conditioning.
Sadly the new 30% excludes pools and hot tubs. I guess the political flak (Hollywood sybarites bask at taxpayer expense…Marin treehuggers smoking pot in the tub at taxpayer blah blah blah…) would have been too risky!
Which is a real shame as I recently discovered that heating pools in apartment complexes can account for more than half their gas use!
That’s one whopping carbon footprint:
Consider a New Measure of Carbon Footprint
You know, I’ve wondered about the no hot tub and pool thing. I can see that policymakers not wanting to give breaks to the wealthy on luxury items. However, if hot tubs and pools are in use anyway, and they are likely to be heated by natural gas furnaces and electric heating elements, why not extend the tax break to those units?
It’s possible that there is just a limited pool of funds for solar - in Illinois we have a pretty good tax rebate, but the state usually runs out of money and can’t fund every solar hopeful.
Solar thermal is a much more mature technology than PV, they’ve already gotten all the kinks out over the past 30+ years.
I’ll be starting with that when I can figure out the financing (yikes), as I know there won’t be a better solar thermal product coming out in a few year’s time.
First I would like to say that I have poured evergything that I have into solar energy. I believe in it as a social cause mainly but of course respect the environmental aspect as well. I’m located in Virgiinia and finally found a top rated system that is very affordable. Regardless though if you your company is a distributer/reseller installer you should not be paying more than $3000.00 for the entire system wether it be AET, SunHot (there systems cheats in a lot of way and they have dirty business practices such as about every other company. The solar business is as sleezy as a most used car salesman.
I am installing a direct indirect drainback system that is obviously closed loop due to the climate. It’s a great system by Solvelox (SolarHot)NC. However, it is patent pending and the thing is simple to make in your own homne. Actually, a plumbing supply place is building it themselves which I might follow. The components are are neatly plaaced in a package and it is said that it will work on an existing system. Not really sure now two decent collectors, 4 by 8, wouldn’t burn people and the majority of the equiptment.
All the Solvelox system is Astro 70B collectors (marginal) but their money maker unit which seems so revolutionary is basically 2 WILO pumps (Star 16B for the Glycom system ande Soar 32B for the Drainback system. they both us the Steca Differential Control TR 0301u which is an industry standard,, they have jsut stamped their name name on it instead, and a Taco 006B for the Glycol and 009B for the Drainback. Other that that a bras heating element and some basic plumbing and the thing can be made for ummm $600 instead of $1,560-40% for installers. FIGHT CAPITALISM! IT FIGHTS YOU EVERYDAY… Oh and the guy who said its 8g’s for the average solar hot water heating system to be installed must be out of business. That’s silly. regardless of house size, the differential control with proper settings can rock out a large house… -pease, Ross progressivesolarenergysystemsllc.com
I did respond to a cleantechnica.com “tell us what you think” blog concerning solar thermal applications. However, this is not what I wrote. I do not end my thoughts with “pease” or “peace” even if spelled correctly. Please demand your biass editor read the content of each posting without alliteration.
I do agree that a capitalistic world economy (primarily America) is harmful to sociological development. As a nation, we have SOLD OUT. We no longer purchase the raw materials, machinery, or labor, in order create a new commodity. This is a fundamental ideology in capitalism. We are greedy and too consumed with success. So consumed that we missed the boat?? Simply put, unless you can afford otherwise, the majority of goods in the American home were produced in a communist nation. Why not solar panels as well? China is more than prepared to flood the U.S. market and take control of the alternative energy industry as well. No one is to blame??? It’s a free market right?
By the way editor, I have an emailed copy of that posting on 3/29/09. My copy and your copy don’t match. Maybe I can spell ACLU? See, I do have rights?
Ross Hosaflook
Progressive Solar Energy Systems,LLC
-Ross Hosaflook
Right on! Good post. Solar hot water is quite affordable and depending on several variables can pay for itself in 5-7 years. It works in sunny climates–and it works in cloudy climates. It’s a great entree into renewables. See a basic description of a system at http://greenhomesamerica.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/shedding-light-on-solar-hot-water/.
Thanks and good luck!
Mike
The technology used in a solar thermal panel to utilize the sun’s energy is more efficient than photovoltaic panels. Solar thermal gives us the most energy return for our dollars spent. A certfied system qualifies for California solar incentives and federal tax credits. These incentives make solar thermal very affordable and make it easy to be green. Its a very exciting time to be a green contractor!
If capitalism is such a bad thing, why buy a system from Solvelox or any other producer of a product? Are they in business to make a profit? Do they employ working citizens who pay taxes to pay for the rebates and tax subsudizes? I am a certified solar hot water installer and would starve if I didn’t do HVAC service work as a primary income. Let’s be realistic…if it weren’t for tax credits and rebates, this industry would die. The gas utilities have the market cornered and everyone is not going to pop 3k to 8k to save pennies. Socialism is a bad experiment just like communism. Keep your grubs off my wallet of honestly earned money.