Hot Water Solar Power Energy Generation Guide
Hot Water Powered With Solar Energy
By Gerard J Howson
There are many options available, when you’re
deciding on ways to produce hot water for your home.
These days, in addition to thinking about how well your
chosen method actually heats the water, and what capacity
it needs to have, you also need to review environmental
concerns.
One reason for these concerns is the fact that tank
water heaters constantly use energy to heat water even
when it isn’t being used, and the tanks often dissipate
some of the heat energy. So, people have begun searching
for more energy efficient methods.
Heating Your Water With Solar Energy
One of the alternative methods of producing properly
heated water is solar energy. Panels placed in the sun,
either absorb heat onto a flat plate and then conduct
that heat to an exchanger that heats the water in a
tank, or the water itself is run through heat-absorbing
tubes in the solar panel and simply moves into the house
from there.
Both methods generally use a holding tank, but while
they add to the heated water available to the home,
they usually can’t provide all of it. So before buying
a water heater of this type, you should know that you
will have to augment it with perhaps a small tankless
system.
Augmenting With A Gas Or Electric Water Heater
You can buy either a tankless electric water heater
or go with a gas-fuelled one instead. Each type will
have its own challenges, though there will be more or
fewer of those depending on how big a system you want
to get.
Gas-powered heaters absolutely require high-grade duct
material for their venting, so with a larger system
you could end up doing a considerable renovation. An
electric system is another means of producing hot water,
but it’s not quite as powerful as a gas system.
Your Local Climate Affecting Production Of Hot Water
But keep in mind that with any of the alternative hot
water production systems, the climate you live in plays
a role in your choice. A solar system may work fine
in summer, but would definitely need to be augmented
by compact tankless water heaters or a small traditional
tank system in the winter.
Even then, the tankless heaters will work much harder
to heat cold water. For energy efficiency, even the
traditional tank may sometimes be the best choice in
certain circumstances.
About the Author:
Gerard J Howson has written a number of articles on Home Improvement, Hot Water Systems, Energy Efficient Appliances,
Solar Power and Renewable Energy including
Hot Water,
Hot Water Heaters,
Hot Water System
Smart Homes,
Solar Hot Water,
Solar Electric.
Look out for new articles as they become available on this site.
Little Known Solar Facts.....
Unless you have a severe sun allergy that prohibits
you from walking outside or being near a window during
the day, you have felt the power of the sun. The warming
rays ensure humanity’s very existence. Since the beginning
humans have needed the sun to grow food, provide warmth
and light the way.
It may just be another star in the sky but for Earth
it is what gives us life. There is more to the sun than
just allowing us to spend a day outside. It can be the
solution to our energy problems.
Solar power may be the future of the Earth.
|
