Tag Archives: solar hot water system

Solar Energy Directory – Get Solar Campaign

Get Solar Energy 

solar energy directory listing from ‘Get Solar’ helps the public choose solar energy products and services with confidence – this is the basis of the ‘Get Solar’ message. We know that changing government policies and shifting compliance standards have created uncertainty for the solar energy markets.

We will offer more certainty to the public and the consumer by joining together to present a united message of quality and reliable information on solar energy products and services via the solar energy directory.

To list your products and services please go to Get Solar Solar Energy Directory.

AuSES Promotes Solar Energy Industry

The CEO of Australian Solar Energy Society (‘AuSES’), John Grimes has been representing our immense collective technical knowledge and corporate base within the organization at a political level. We in the solar energy industry must support these efforts for the well-being of the public, our environment and our industry.

Get Solar Promotes Solar Energy Growth

The ‘Get Solar’ campaign which aims to increase the use of solar energy and stimulate growth opportunities for solar energy industry companies, recognises that AuSES is a solid cornerstone of solar energy promotion and awareness, but we also recognise that it cannot do everything. By developing the ‘Get Solar’ solar energy directory we are creating a new industry collaborative effort.

Solar Energy Companies Can Collaborate

Apart from individual lobbying and marketing enterprise, solar industries can collaborate effectively with a common commercial focus in the market place. Today we need industry collaboration more than ever. Offering comprehensive information in a single solar energy directory will help focus our message.

Solar Industry Needs Reliable Markets

While AuSES carries out its important functions at the junction of industry, academia and government regulation, more is needed to help the solar industry and associated professions to develop stronger and more reliable markets.

Solar Energy Directory Offers Confidence to the Public

The ‘Get Solar’ Campaign directory is now alive: Go to our  Get Solar solar energy directory and enter your details. We need your involvement and the participation of all sectors of the solar energy industry and associated professions in this solar energy directory.

The general public must approach the purchase of solar energy products and services with confidence in our quality and professionalism, hence the ‘Get Solar’ campaign. The campaign promotes solar energy companies as well as associated services to the public, in a manner where they can trust the quality and services offered in the solar energy directory and be able to make informed choices. Having the endorsement of peak industry bodies to your listing offers extra confidence.

List Your Solar Energy Business

List your business details in the Get Solar solar energy directory. The categories of listings are flexible at this stage and the administrator of  the ‘Get Solar’ directory will consider increasing the list of categories if requested.

Free Listings in the Get Solar Directory

Currently listings are free even for premium accounts. It only takes the investment of time and effort by your sales and marketing people to add your company details and contact points.

Go to ‘Get Solar’ solar energy directory to create your listing today.

AuSES Support

Companies listed in the AuSES database will be contacted by AuSES administration to explain the opportunity to include their business in the ‘Get Solar’ solar energy directory and they will provide endorsement of this important initiative. With strong ties and allegiances to peak organizations such as AuSES, we believe that the ‘Get Solar’ campaign can complement the focus that AuSES provides and offer confidence to the public and consumer.

Solar Energy Directory Offers Customer Confidence  

Creation of a new synergy will help consumers, industrial, commercial, and institutional entities to have the confidence to commit to solar energy systems and strategies.

With AuSES endorsement you can’t afford not to be in this solar energy directory, so take action today and join the effort to tell the public GET SOLAR, and know where to go to get it…

in the  Solar Energy Directory

How to Choose a Solar Water Heater

Guest post by John Reed, originator of world-wide SolarDay. You can find more details on our site by clicking  SolarDay 2012

Here are some expert tips on saving energy for one of the biggest energy hogs in your home or office: the hot water heater. Though there is an up-front cost to installing a solar water heater system in your home or business, it will save you a bundle on your utility bills over the life of the system and they tend to be basically maintenance-free for many years. Also, many utility companies have rebate programs to help pay for solar water heater systems. Since rebates vary by city and state, check with your local utility about their current, solar water heater systems rebates.

Selecting a New Solar Water Heater

You have many options when it comes to installing a solar water heater  system.

Solar Water Heater

Here are some of the most common solar water heater that use storage tanks and solar collectors:

Solar water heater systems include storage tanks and solar collectors. There are two types of solar water heating systems: active, which have circulating pumps and controls, and passive, which don’t.

Most solar water heater systems require a well-insulated storage tank. Solar storage tanks have an additional outlet and inlet connected to and from the collector. In two-tank systems, the solar water heater preheats water before it enters the conventional water heater. In one-tank systems, the back-up heater is combined with the solar storage in one tank.

Three types of solar collectors are used for residential and commercial applications:

Integral collector-storage systems – also known as ICS or batch systems, they feature one or more black tanks or tubes in an insulated, glazed box. Cold water first passes through the solar collector, which preheats the water. The water then continues on to the conventional backup water heater, providing a reliable source of hot water. They should be installed only in mild-freeze climates because the outdoor pipes could freeze in severe, cold weather.

Evacuated-tube solar collectors feature parallel rows of transparent glass tubes. Each tube contains a glass outer tube and metal absorber tube attached to a fin. The fin’s coating absorbs solar energy but inhibits radiative heat loss. These collectors are used more frequently for U.S. commercial applications.

Glazed flat-plate collectorsare insulated, weatherproofed boxes that contain a dark absorber plate under one or more glass or plastic (polymer) covers. Unglazed flat-plate collectors—typically used for solar pool heating —have a dark absorber plate, made of metal or polymer, without a cover or enclosure.

Solar water heater absorber plate

Dark Absorber Plate

There are three types of active solar water heating systems.

Direct circulation systems pump and circulate household water through the collectors and into the home. They work well in climates where it rarely freezes.

Indirect Circulation Systems pumps circulate a non-freezing, heat-transfer fluid through the collectors and a heat exchanger.  This heats the water that then flows into the home. They are popular in climates prone to freezing temperatures.

Passive solar water heater systems are typically less expensive than active systems, but they’re usually not as efficient. However, passive systems can be more reliable and may last longer. There are two basic types of passive systems:

Integral collector-storage passive systems work best in areas where temperatures rarely fall below freezing. They also work well in households with significant daytime and evening hot-water needs.

Thermosyphon systems: water flows through the system when warm water rises as cooler water sinks. The collector must be installed below the storage tank so that warm water will rise into the tank. These systems are reliable, but contractors must pay careful attention to the roof design because of the heavy storage tank. They are usually more expensive than integral collector-storage passive systems.

Cloudy Days and Solar Hot Water Systems

Solar water heating systems often require a backup system for cloudy days and times of increased demand. Conventional storage water heaters usually provide backup and may already be part of the solar system package. A backup system may also be part of the solar collector, such as rooftop tanks with thermosyphon systems. Since an integral-collector storage system already stores hot water in addition to collecting solar heat, it may be packaged with a demand (tankless or instantaneous) water heater for backup.

Installing and Maintaining a Solar Water Heater

Before you purchase and install a solar water heater system, you want to do the following:

  • consider the economics of a solar water heater system,
  • check out your domestic rooftop’s solar resources (lots of direct sunlight), determine the correct system size,
  •  compare system costs and investigate local building codes, covenants and regulations.
  • When it comes to cost, check out possible incentives from your local utility company which can substantially reduce the cost of the system.

Installing and Maintaining the System

Regular maintenance on simple systems can be as infrequent as every 3–5 years

The proper installation of a solar water heater system depends on many factors. These include the solar resource, climate, local building code requirements, and safety issues. Therefore, it’s best to have a qualified, solar thermal systems contractor install your system.

After installation, properly maintaining your solar water heater system will keep it running smoothly, though these systems, especially passive systems, tend to require very little maintenance.  For active systems, discuss the maintenance requirements with your system provider and consult the system’s owner’s manual.

Plumbing and other conventional water heating components require the same maintenance as conventional systems. The glass glazing may need to be cleaned in dry climates where rainfall doesn’t provide the water to remove grime and dust.

Regular maintenance on simple solar water heater systems can be as infrequent as every 3–5 years, preferably by a solar contractor. Systems with electrical components usually require a replacement part or two after 10 years.

More solar and energy conservation news can be found at: www.solarday.com.

John Reed

SOLARDAY2012

(415) 846-4862    San Francisco, California

 

Solar Energy Programs Cutback

Solar Energy Programs have been cut back drastically once again, this time to pay for the floods. The Australian Prime Minister has just announced cuts totalling $495 million to offset flood reconstruction budget spending.

John Grimes,  CEO, Australian Solar Energy Society reports on the solar energy programs affected:

Cuts are targeted at:

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