Is solar thermal right for my project?

When designing a building or building a new home, there are many decisions to be made. Most folks today are aware of how different choices affect efficiency, and are looking for ways to maximize efficiency. To determine if a solar thermal system is right for your project, there are many factors to consider. These systems can be used in applications throughout the United States, but may have particular advantages in these scenarios:

Locations where energy costs are high

If the area where you’re building experiences particularly high energy costs or there is only access to one energy type, solar thermal is an excellent solution. Gas water heating is typically cheaper than electric, so if gas is not available in the area, electricity is your only option for traditional water heating. Solar thermal system installation will allow you to avoid high electricity prices and offer more options for your water heating solution.

There is a need for consistent hot water

Many types of commercial facilities have a consistent need for hot water for operations, such as in laboratories, hospitals, or housing quarters. Because of the hot water demand, energy expenses are high for water heating in these applications. Solar thermal systems can allow a facility to significantly cut their hot water expenses, and should be considered when designing such a facility.

Energy security is a necessity

When designing a building, energy availability must be considered to ensure the facility can receive adequate energy to power their hot water heating system as well as other vital systems. In remote areas, energy sources may not be available or are lacking. In some parts of the world, energy supply is not always a sure thing. Solar thermal systems reduce a facility’s energy dependency by allowing the facility to produce most of its hot water with very little energy use.

If you’re about to build, Smith Sustainable Design can help you determine if solar thermal is right for your application. We’ll walk you through solar thermal system basics, as well as the particular advantages in your scenario.

Issues affecting solar heat panel performance

In order for the solar heat panels to work properly and collect solar energy to heat your water, they must be exposed to the sun. There are a few issues which can affect the performance of this equipment, which are naturally occurring. Due to these issues, you may experience minor fluctuations in the performance of your solar heat panels.

Atmosphere

Some parts of the atmosphere absorb more or less light wavelengths, it’s not a steady amount throughout the entire atmosphere. How much light reaches the surface of the Earth depends on the amount of atmosphere it must pass through to get here, as well as the level of humidity. When the sun is higher in the sky, there is less atmosphere for light to pass through than when the sun is rising or setting. Factors such as clouds, fog, haze, and air pollution all create more matter for the sun’s rays to pass through. On a cloudy or overcast day, your solar heat panels won’t collect as much solar energy as they would on a sunny day.

Angle of Incidence

The angle at which the sun’s rays fall on an object is called the angle of incidence. Surfaces receive more of the sun’s energy when the angle of incidence is around zero. There is a solar window of about six hours in which solar heat panels can achieve the ideal angle of incidence and absorb the most solar energy each day.

Choosing a qualified solar heat panel installer can put your mind at ease. Smith Sustainable Design is an experienced solar heat panel installer, and our team takes these and other factors into consideration when designing a solar thermal system for your home. We design your system to achieve maximum efficiency despite naturally occurring issues.

Economic benefits of solar heat installations

Installing a solar heat system has many benefits for homeowners and business owners. One of the biggest reasons people switch to solar heat is for the economic benefits. Let’s take a look at how solar heat installations help households save.

Solar heat installations do the same job as an electric or gas water heater, so you won’t be sacrificing any comforts. They can heat the same amount of water as a traditional water heater, and uses much less energy to do so. When faced with the choice to install an electric or gas water heater or a solar heat system, upfront costs are different. Typically, a solar heat installation can cost around $4,000.00 more than installing a standard water heater.

You need to consider the cost to heat water over the lifetime of the equipment in addition to the upfront cost. Research shows that solar heat installations use much less energy than an electric or gas water heater, which can account for up to 25 percent of a home’s energy use! A solar heat installation saves homeowners 50 to 85 percent on the cost of energy used for water heating each year. Plus, you’ll be spared added expenses when energy prices fluctuate.

The payback period of a solar heat installation is typically 4 to 8 years. After that, you’ll begin to accrue savings as long as the system lasts, which can be anywhere from 15 to 40 years! To determine a simple payback period, find the net cost of installation (the price you paid minus any tax credits or incentives) and the annual fuel savings. Divide the net cost of installation by the annual fuel savings to see your payback period.

Getting an estimate for a new solar heat installation is a solid way to begin determining what your exact economic benefits will be. Call Smith Sustainable Design today for quality solar heat installation.

Pros and cons of solar thermal systems

Solar thermal systems are becoming an increasingly popular option for homeowners looking to harness solar energy. Installing a system like this is a major investment for homeowners, and the pros and cons should be examined. Having information about both the positives and negatives will allow you to make an informed decision.

Solar thermal systems: the pros

The use of free, renewable energy- solar energy won’t be depleted like fossil fuels will be. Plus, you don’t have to pay for the use of the sun’s energy, like you do with utility power.

Installation incentives- installing a solar thermal system may will qualify you for federal tax credits which can reduce overall installation costs.

Quick payback period- solar thermal systems have a relatively quick payback period, especially compared to other energy efficient systems like solar electricity. Homeowners generally recoup the installation costs of a solar thermal system in 4 to 6 years.

Low maintenance costs- solar thermal systems are low maintenance, and generally have lower maintenance and repair costs versus a traditional tank hot water heater which is powered by gas or electricity.

Solar thermal systems: the cons

High upfront costs- compared to a traditional water heater, the upfront costs of a solar thermal system is much higher, which can be off-putting for some.

Backup power- not all areas can provide enough solar energy for a solar thermal system to create all a household’s hot water year-round. In the winter when temperatures are much lower, backup power like gas or electricity may be required.

Needed protection- a solar thermal system has outdoor components which need to be protected from the elements. Overheating and freeze protection are a must to ensure the proper operation and long lifespan of your system.

Sizing a new solar hot water heater system

Getting the right size for your space and need is important when installing many different appliances and systems, including solar hot water heater systems. When systems are not sized properly, you can suffer from inefficiency and lack of supply. When sizing a solar hot water heater system, here are the two main factors we consider,

Size of the solar collectors

In order for your new solar hot water heater system to supply the amount of hot water you need, the system needs to have adequate collector coverage. The collectors of solar hot water heater systems for homes in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are typically sized as follows:

• 25 square feet of surface area is needed for a 2-person household
• For each additional family member, 12 to 14 square feet of collector surface area is necessary

Size of the storage tank

The storage tank of your solar hot water heater system holds all the water heated by the solar energy that your collectors absorbed. In an active system, you need 1.5 gallons of storage tank space per square foot of collector area.

• In general, households of two people need storage tanks with a capacity between 40 and 50 gallons.
• 3 to 4-person households have tanks around 60 to 80 gallons.
• 5 to 6-person households need a storage tank of approximately 100 to 120 gallons.
• If your household has a higher demand for hot water, you should consider a storage tank the next size up.

The experts at Smith Sustainable Design know how to size your solar hot water heater system the right way to ensure maximum performance and comfort. Call us to size and install a solar hot water heater system for your home this summer.

Positioning your solar heat panels

If you’ve decided to install a solar thermal system at your home or business, you’ll need to think about how to place your solar heat panels. Your system’s efficiency depends on how much solar energy the solar heat panels can collect, so placing the panels appropriately is a top priority. At Smith Sustainable Design, we position solar heat panels using the proper orientation and tilt for optimum performance.

Solar heat panels need to be placed in a space and direction that allows them to collect the maximum amount of solar energy each day. During a site survey, we will determine which direction is best for your panels to face. Typically, solar heat panels in New Jersey and Pennsylvania should face south. We will also consider the orientation of your roof if you’d like to have your panels mounted on the roof, and landscape features to determine how the solar heat panels will be affected by shade throughout the day.

The tilt of your solar heat panels is another important factor that helps us maximize your solar energy collection. The angle of your roof plays a part in helping your solar heat panels collect the sun’s energy to heat your water. Most panels today are mounted flat to the roof, so the roof pitch will also be the same angle as the tilt of the panels. A flat mount looks better to many homeowners than a rack mount. The angle of your roof will be used to help us determine the appropriate sizing of your entire solar hot water system.

Positioning your solar heat panels properly is crucial to the performance of your system. The solar heat panel installers at Smith Sustainable Design and specially trained to consider orientation and tilt to develop an optimal installation plan for your equipment. Contact us today to schedule your site survey.

Measuring the efficiency of solar hot water systems

Whenever you install a new system or appliance in your home, efficiency is an important factor. Different systems and appliances measure their efficiency in various units. For a solar hot water system, efficiency refers to one of two things: the thermal energy output or the amount of energy the system offsets from a conventional gas or electric system. The units used to determine the efficiency of solar hot water systems are ones you may be unfamiliar with, so let’s take a look at each.

Solar Energy Factor (SEF)

Energy delivered by the system / conventional energy input = SEF

Solar Energy Factor values range from 1 to 11, and most residential solar hot water systems have a water heater rating of 2 to 3. The higher the number, less conventional energy is being used to heat water.

Solar Fraction (SF)

The solar fraction refers to the amount of the total hot water heating load which was produced by solar energy. A higher solar factor means more solar energy has contributed to heating the household’s water. Solar factor values range from 0 to 1, and most residential solar thermal systems have solar factors between 0.5 to 0.75.

Btu/(ft²day)

Btu/(ft²day) indicates how much thermal energy is produces per square foot of collector space each day. Btu is the abbreviation for British thermal units, a measurement of thermal energy needed for water heating. Higher Btu/(ft²day) measurements mean fewer square feet of space in the collector are needed to heat the same amount of water. This rating is used for most models of solar collectors.

If you have any questions about determining the efficiency of your solar hot water system, give us a call. Smith Sustainable Design’s team of solar hot water systems contractors are happy to discuss solar options for your New Jersey or Pennsylvania home.