Source: CUSTOM HOME Magazine
Publication date: May 31, 2007
By Stephani L. Miller
Because it saves natural resources, reduces carbon emissions, and offers a money-saving opportunity for homeowners, solar water heating was named one of the top 10 technologies for 2007 by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) program.
With more homeowners willing to consider the technology as a way to green their homes and reduce their energy consumption, solar water heating is experiencing a comeback after a nearly 20-year hiatus. “What we're seeing now is a renaissance of interest [because of] new federal tax credits and the rising price of energy,” says Noah Kaye, director of public affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
Photovoltaics, or solar electricity, gets most of the attention when builders consider renewable energy systems, but solar water heating offers a more cost-effective way to incorporate renewables into a home. “Solar water heating can be as little as one-tenth the cost of photovoltaics. It's a much more efficient use of the sun's energy at a lower cost,” says Jeff Mahoney, North American representative for Rheem USA's Solahart division. Plus, the payback on a solar water heating system can range from five to 10 years, faster than a photovoltaic system's estimated payback period.
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