Article by D Appleyard.

By unveiling a solar heating and cooling programme that could create 25,000 new green jobs, generate US$2.6 billion in revenue and see 2 GW of new solar thermal capacity installed in the state over the next decade, New York has revealed its ambition to become America’s national leader in solar heating and cooling.

Setting out its solar thermal roadmap, which was published at the NYSEIA conference in May 2010, the Solar Thermal Consortium (STC) plan focuses on improving uptake of solar thermal technologies through consumer education and incentives, installer training, promotions to attract manufacturers, investments in R&D, and permitting improvements.

Developed by more than 130 industrial, academic and governmental representatives, the Solar Thermal Roadmap creates a path to move New York State toward the equivalent of 1 million solar hot water collectors, or half a million residential systems, by 2020.

While these figures are still dwarfed by the German market, where around 200,000 solar hot water systems are installed annually for example, the measure is deeply significant in the US, where so far federal efforts have largely foundered and, as in many other nations, solar thermal is still the neglected poor cousin of other renewable energies like wind and solar PV.

With individual states left to devise and implement their own renewable energy programmes, the solar thermal plan for New York stands out.

The logic behind such a scheme is irrefutable, the New York Solar Energy Industries Association claims. ‘Sixty percent of the energy consumed in New York State buildings is to provide heat and hot water’, said its president, Ron Kamen, who noted that with the Roadmap: ‘New York is moving to become the national leader in the research, development, deployment and manufacture of solar thermal technologies.’

Focused on solar heat and hot water applications for buildings in New York State, the Roadmap is modeled on global best practices, as well as new ideas from the consortium. Its goal is to develop the New York State solar thermal industry so that the total installed statewide capacity grows from its current estimated level of 6 MWth to 2000 MWth by 2020, with 70% coming from residential and 30% from commercial installations.

The Roadmap’s proposed implementation would save an estimated 6 million US gal. (22.5 million litres) of oil, 9.5 million ft³ (270,000 m³) of natural gas and displace 320 GWh of electricity production annually by 2020, translating into consumer savings of more than $175 million per year, the STC claims.

Barriers To Implementation

While the total U.S. installed solar thermal capacity of some 7.6 GWth is close to the German installed capacity of 8 GWth, the majority of this capacity is derived from swimming pool heating rather than domestic hot water or space heating. On a per capita basis, the contrast is stark, with 100 Wth/person installed in Germany and 0.3 Wth/person installed per person in New York State, a factor of close to 1000. Indeed, the Roadmap acknowledges that the state lags the world in terms of solar thermal usage.

Nonetheless, despite the small base, since heating and cooling makes up around 30% of the total energy use in the U.S., and current total installed solar thermal capacity equates to approximately 0.06% of the entire U.S. energy consumption, there is an opportunity for solar thermal to make a significant impact.

Solar thermal has certainly seen growth in cold climates such as those encountered in the region. For example, in 2008 Canada installed 40 MWth of solar thermal capacity for both space and water heating. Even so, the report does recognise that levels of adoption and market growth are a result of many factors, including energy cost, governmental regulations, aggressive marketing and educational programmes, and incentives.

In New York State the authors contend that solar thermal systems can provide 50%–70% of the domestic hot water used in a typical residence and that the state has an opportunity to expand this sector of the economy and position itself for a strong export base. However, there are significant hurdles to overcome. For example, the technology and its benefits are not widely known by consumers. Furthermore, sufficient industry knowledge and certified installers to support successful installations are lacking, and there are gaps in the value chain from materials to end-user. In addition, potential bar

riers to development of the industry in the state include poor awareness and perception based on experiences from the 1970s and 1980s. At that time the systems were perceived to be unreliable and with short life expectancies. Poor system integration and installations were primarily to blame for these experiences, the STC says.

Public sector support is also required in order for large-scale solar thermal adoption levels to be achieved. A public education campaign will require the support of both industry stakeholders and public officials to be successful. Governmental support is required initially to make the systems cost effective and to attract manufacturing capability to the state. This requires an educational and lobbying effort on the part of the industrial partners targeted at state, federal and national officials.

The development of a trained workforce is also critical to achieve the goals of the Roadmap. It is vital that the quality of installations is high and that the systems function properly. An installation workforce needs to be developed and trained to ensure that this occurs. Courses are available which can provide this training, but few are currently located in the state.

System costs are another significant barrier to widespread adoption. While there is a segment of the market that identifies environmental issues as the primary driver for adoption, the Roadmap goals cannot be achieved by this segment alone and current system and permitting costs need to be addressed to grow the industry significantly.

The ability to fully realise the potential of solar thermal technologies is currently further limited by long-term technology development. Advanced technologies such as solar assisted cooling, integrated PV/solar thermal systems, and low temperature solar thermal electric generation are potential areas of opportunity. Thermal storage is also an area that, if effectively solved, would allow for additional advancement of the industry.

Costs of Solar Thermal in New York State

The rationale for developing a strong solar thermal industry in New York State comes from three areas: end-user energy cost savings, environmental impacts, and economic development through job creation systems and industry sales.

A model for direct hot water (DHW) systems was developed

to determine the potential impact of the adoption of solar thermal technologies, and to investigate incentive and growth levels needed to reach the roadmap goal. Based on industry input, systems were modeled with initial installed costs of $8000 for residential systems and $18,000 for commercial systems. The costs were held fixed for three years and then reduced at an annual rate of 5% thereafter on the basis of increased competition and supply, as well as future technological improvements.

The price of energy in New York State is among the highest in the USA. In 2009, electricity averaged 17.8 US cents/KWh and a four person ‘model’ family would be expected to spend between $390 and $1100 (depending on the fuel source) to provide domestic hot water in 2010. Over the past 10 years energy prices in New York State have increased at a substantial rate averaging 9% and 11% annually for fuel oil and natural gas respectively. A conservative 8% annual escalation in fuel prices is assumed in the model, which by 2020 drives the cost for heating hot water to between $620 and $170

0 per household, again depending on the fuel source.

In this analysis, assuming the 8% annual increase in energy prices, by 2020 the savings for a four person model family supplying 50% of their water heating needs from solar are projected to increase to between $310 and $850 annually. Fuel savings, from residential DHW applications alone, show the potential for a dramatic reduction in emissions too. In 2010 the model family with a solar thermal system could save approximately 100 US gallons of fuel oil, 125 therms of natural gas or 3100 KWh of electricity.

According to the model, combined residential and commercial sales start at $5 million in 2010 and rise to $629 million in 2020. Total revenues from 2010–2020 are projected to be $2.6 billion. Furthermore, the analysis is based only on the development of a state-wide domestic hot water market. The potential impact is obviously multiplied when other technologies such as solar space heating, ‘combi’ systems and solar assisted cooling are considered, as well as potential opportunities elsewhere in the US and overseas.

Job creation associated with the solar thermal market development is modeled using current job levels in Europe as a basis. And in Europe, one job is created and sustained for every 1000 ft² (93 m²) of newly installed panel area, the Roadmap states. These jobs include manufacturing, installation and maintenance, and under the developed growth model, in total approximately 24,000 jobs will be created and sustained by 2020, significantly up from the current estimated level of some 36 solar thermal employees. Clearly, the im

pact of a vibrant solar thermal market is significant to the state.

Solar Thermal Roadmap Recommendations

Recommendations set out in the Roadmap aim to address market barriers in a logical, cost effective manner and are grouped into five main categories including organization; awareness and marketing; institutional issues; workforce development; and, research and development.

The key recommendations are to:

• Create a state-wide educational campaign and electronic resource to inform consumers about solar thermal and its benefits;
• Initiate a solar thermal financial incentive programme to encourage installations by shortening payback time;
• Promote New York State as a location for manufacturers;
• Invest in research and development to create a scientific base which systematically develops next generation technologies; and,
• Clarify permitting procedures and union jurisdiction to simplify installations.

Funding for these solar thermal-focused efforts could come from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), the New York State Public Service Commission or similar programmes, the authors say.

Addressing public awareness, the roadmap recommends that a solar thermal website should be created to provide a central resource in the state. And, in order to track consumer awareness and satisfaction, it is recommended that a consumer survey be conducted each year focused on installers, consumers, and the general public. Data from the surveys will be used to determine market conditions — for instance the number of installs, system costs and such like — as well as an indication of consumer satisfaction, and the effectiveness of the marketing campaign.

Furthermore, growth in sales can also lead to job increases beyond installation jobs through increased manufacturing capability within the state, the report’s authors argue. For example, they say, interactions with European manufacturers during the course of developing the Roadmap have indicated their desire to locate manufacturing capabilities within the US.

In order to take advantage of these growth opportunities, it is recommended that within three months a committee led by economic development organizations be formed to develop a statewide marketing plan, for the expansion and attraction of manufacturing capabilities into the state. The marketing plan should address state and US market potential, state incentives, the existing workforce capability and industrial base, as well as R&D capabilities.

Current tax incentive programmes (30% federal, 25% state) for solar thermal systems provide a payback period for the average system of about 11–15 years for modelled residential systems. Payback for commercial systems can be significantly shorter due to accelerated depreciation. It is recommended that an incentive programme be combined with the current tax rebate programme to reduce the payback term further. It is additionally recommended that all available incentives be tied to an installer certification scheme to encourage high installation standards.

A fixed rebate model would pay a fixed amount based on system size and capability, as well on the primary heating source. Such an incentive programme could include residential as well as commercial, industrial, institutional, and agricultural consumers, though they may be structured differently. The incentive programme should be designed to sunset as system costs decline and energy prices escalate, the authors say, adding that such a model is attractiv

e as it decreases the upfront out of pocket expenses, which may be a barrier to adoption.

Incentives could also be tied to utility companies. For example, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Solar Rebate Program is designed to offset electric usage through the adoption of renewable energy sources. This is particularly attractive to those consumers which use electricity to provide heat and hot water. LIPA reports that since 2000 it has paid out approximately $59 million in incentives resulting in more that 2400 installations (mostly PV) on Long Island and the creation of over 50 companies to conduct those installations. PV system costs have dropped to 35% through this programme and a combination of state and federal incentive schemes, and such programmes could

be expanded or developed to include gas and oil customers, the Roadmap document says.

Addressing a number of key institutional issues, the Roadmap also recommends that a permit system is developed so that a single permit can be applied for and granted for an installation. Such a permiting process would simplify installation procedures and reduce costs, while still ensuring that the installation complies with relevant zoning and building requirements.

It is also recommended that certain levels of renewable energy be mandated directly into the building code. Generating a significant proportion of a building’s energy from clean sources is clearly possible given current technologies and it is proposed that all new buildings over 10,0

00 ft² (929 m²) in area must generate 10%–20% of their energy from onsite renewables.

To encourage minimum installation quality standards state financial incentives could eventually be offered for systems that are installed by professionals who have passed – as a minimum – an entry-level solar hot water certification exam. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) does currently offer a solar thermal certification test, though any requirement to sit this exam would most likely exclude the majority of the exisiting installers and restrict the initial growth of the industry, the authors argue. Currently there is no ‘entry-level’ exam, though NABCEP is reportedly developing one. Thus, in order to prevent a bottleneck in installation certification it is proposed that New York develop a staged programme of certification.

To properly train and qualify New York installers and inspectors, the preparation of a multi-faceted education scheme is another sensible goal, the authors say. Although there are many educational offerings already, a more robust and comprehensive educational programme and some governmental support for it are recommended.

In addition, despite the significant advances in solar thermal, further R&D is also needed to continue to reduce system costs, improve quality and performance, and develop new technologies.

While New York State has a substantial R&D base, there are few research groups within the state that directly focus on solar thermal. To facilitate the development of a R&D base within the state, the creation of a Solar Thermal Center of Excellence (COE) is recommended in the Roadmap.

The centre would encompass a collection of researchers with varied technical skills and interests aligned with solar thermal needs. Participants would be spread over a number of institutions and this would allow for the leveraging of existing expertise. In this way the state would nurture a developing specific

research base. The authors argue that the cluster should be developed and funded based on existing models in the state for academic/industrial partnerships.

Funding for the Solar Thermal COE would initially come from the state. The funds would be used for administrative purposes and to support initial research efforts.

Research would be awarded through a competitive proposal process, with matching funds required from industrial sources. Over time, however, the funding for the centre would predominantly come from industrial sources. The development would also help to attract new industrial capability to the state as it would allow for strong academic/industrial collaboration supporting the local development of new technologies, the Roadmap says.

The creation of a solar thermal system certification testing centre is also recommended by the analysis, which points out that New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) currently has an effort underway to develop small wind (less than 100 kW) and PV certification testing centres. A similar operation could be developed for solar thermal. Currently there is a bottleneck in the system certification process as the number of systems being submitted is greater than the available capacity. It is expected that within three years the certification centre would be fully self-sufficient with revenues from testing funding its operations.

While 42 million solar thermal systems have been installed worldwide, the US has been slow to adopt this technology. However, sentiment is changing. As the nation’s focus on renewable energy continues to grow, the expectation is that the adoption of solar thermal technology will, too.

Consequently, leading international solar thermal companiesare looking to establish production facilities in the US and the Roadmap’s authors believe that an organized effort to promote the industry could position the state as the solar thermal leader. They note that most states will be aggressive in trying to attract new business, especially given the recent business climate, and New York State aims to win first mover advantage to secure its share of a new industry that will create manufacturing, jobs and investment.

The STC is led by the collaborative efforts of Clarkson University’s Center for Advanced Materials Process (CAMP), the NYSTAR Center for Advanced Technology (CAT); the New York Solar Energy Industry Association (NYSEIA); The Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC) and Droege & Company, an international management consultancy firm.

This helps inform our customers about the broad rage of products we install and the extensive experience we have in the field of solar thermal technology. The particular job we have posted for today was in Broadacres, Johannesburg.

This system is a Split Active Direct Solar Thermal System. That simply means that the solar collector is separated from the geyser (on top of the roof) and the solar geyser is installed internally.

We use a solar driven pump to reticulate the water from the solar geyser in the roof to the collector (solar panel) on the roof. The collector transfers the suns heat into the water, which is then returned to the solar geyser in the roof.

Because this system is direct it means that the liquid heated is the liquid used (the water from the geyser).

Keep it Green

Greencon

Speaking to journalists in Cape Town, Aphane elaborated that the project was an extension of State-owned enterprise Eskom’s solar water geyser installation programme, under which 3 000 solar water systems had been installed over the past three years.

The idea was to start “massifying” the roll-out, Aphane said, indicating that the 200 000 target had been set for the end of the current fiscal year.

The project was due to be formally launched by President Jacob Zuma in Winterveldt, north-west of Pretoria, on April 28, where 7 000 units would be installed.

Energy Minister Dipuo Peters told journalists that the DoE was working together with the South African Bureau of Standards to ensure that the technology, which had been flooding into the country over the past few years, was up to standard.

It was also stressed that the DOE was working with the Department of Trade and Industry to promote solar geyser local content.

“We believe that by next year we would have localised the solar water heater technology so that we do not have to import systems,” said Peters

I always believe it is best to examine what is happening internationally, especially in countries that are years ahead of us in this solar thermal sector (basically everybody). This may help us predict what trends may slowly develop here in South Africa.

Solarthermalworld wanted to investigate why the Australian Government decided to discontinue its Solar Water Heater Rebate Programme and conducted an interview with Stephen Cranch, Sales and Marketing Manager of Solahart Industries Pty Ltd Australia.

Cranch provided a short overview of the current market and support scheme situation. Since 2005, the solar water heater expert has been part of the Solahart Team, an Australian flat plate collector and tank manufacturer. Before that, he had been General Marketing Manager at Heatcraft Australia, a major supplier for the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector.

Solarthermalworld: We have recently reported that the Federal Solar Water Heater (SWH) Rebate has been discontinued. What caused this abrupt end?

Cranch: There has been a lot of market turmoil here. Around September last year, the heat pump rebate was reduced to AUD 1,000, because people were installing for free and the market was massively overheated. As a result, REC prices plummeted, which made solar less attractive and the demand started to drop off. The peak for the SWH market was around June till November. In January, the New South Wales rebate was reduced from up to AUD 1,200 to AUD 300.

At the same time, the insulation program had been plagued with some real problems. And therefore, the Federal Government decided to suspend the program on 19 February 2010 and to reintroduce it in June this year. However, for SWHs, which as you know were part of the programme, a new scheme was immediately launched called the Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme and the rebate amount reduced from AUD 1,600 to AUD 1,000, effective from 20 February 2010.

Solarthermalworld: In 2009, market volume almost doubled and reached its peak around June/July 2009. Was the market volume pushed by the Federal Solar Water Heater Rebate?

Cranch: In February 2009, the Federal Government increased the national solar hot water rebate from AUD 1,000 to AUD 1,600 and removed the requirement for means testing, which was previously only available to householders earning a combined income of AUD 100,000 or less. This was bundled up with free home insulation as part of the federal government stimulus package in the midst of the global financial crisis.

Solarthermalworld: Insulation and solar water heaters are not usually combined in one and the same incentive programme. How did that work?

Cranch: You could only claim the SWH rebate when replacing an electric water heater and proving that you had not had free insulation installed. For instance, householders could have free insulation up to AUD 1,600 or the AUD 1,600

SHW rebate. Insulation was provided free to householders without money changing hands, whereas with SWHs, the householder still had to pay the up-front cost and wait 2 to 3 months for the rebate to come back after sending the paperwork in.

This was on top of the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which are linked to the 20 % renewable energy target by 2020. 1 REC is 1

MW of electricity generated or displaced over a 10-year period. The value of each REC is determined by market factors, for instance: the current value around 33 AUD/ REC, multiplied by the number of RECs per system – lets say 30 – is AUD 990. Additionally, some other state rebates where available, such as the New South Wales rebate, which was up to AUD 1,200. Those rebates and RECs are available for heat pumps and solar water heaters.

Solarthermalworld: How would you assess the current state of the SWH market?

Cranch: Now, it’s significantly down from the numbers in 2009. In summary, the market is a lot tougher now than 12 months ago. It peaked at around 200,000 SWH systems, including a large number of heat pumps, but has come back significantly from these numbers.
The interview was conducted by communication specialist Hanna Schober based in South Africa.

Worthmann says that the significant increase of the rebate was calculated in order to allow a five-year payback period. “This calculation is done taking into account the average cost of systems, average savings per system, average electricity tariff rate and cost of capital at prime interest rate per system size,” says Worthmann.

Solar by law?
James Shirley, General Manager at Kayema Energy Solutions, says that although the Eskom rebate increase has caused a significant increase in solar water heater sales, he doubts that the government’s target will be reached.

“The rebate is definitely helping the solar water heating industry, but I doubt that government will be able to achieve such significant market penetration,” says Shirley. “Eskom have raised the rebate in order to make solar water heating systems financially viable for the public, but unless government is going to make solar water heating systems compulsory for all new buildings, I don’t see how we will achieve 10 000 GWh of renewable energy generation by 2013.”

Barry Bredenkamp, operations manager at NEEA (National Energy Efficiency Agency), says that he doesn’t think it will be necessary or practical for government to make solar water heaters compulsory. “In some instances, solar water heaters are just not practical,” says Barry before explaining that if a building’s orientation doesn’t lend itself to the optimal use of the technology, or for example, where indigenous trees provide a natural barrier between the building and the sun and where an alternate technology, such as a heat pump, may provide a better solution for the application.

“However, with the rising price of electricity, the increase in subsidies and the reduction in the price of solar water heaters as more competitors enter the market, I believe we will see a natural evolution from conventional electrically-operated geysers to more efficient solar water heaters, without legislation being introduced,” says Bredenkamp.

Changing the rebate requirements
Shirley also says that the requirements that enabled consumers to qualify for a solar water heating rebate (i.e added cost of installed equipment) were too high, and offset the previous rebate amount, and the administrative work around claiming the rebate was laborious. “Eskom had a lot of prerequisites concerning not only the heating system, but also the installation, putting a lot of consumers off the process of installing these systems because, it was too difficult to claim the rebate,” says Shirley.

According to Shirley, there is a lot of paperwork involved in claiming your solar water heating rebate from Eskom, but it isn’t difficult. “You generally wait about eight weeks to get your money back. This is not an extremely long time, but I’m thinking that people are a bit strapped for cash when they are waiting for their claim to be processed, which is deterring them from getting a solar water heating system.”

“The new process for claiming is very simple: the reason people think it is difficult is that generally, people do not read instructions, and are being misled by suppliers that are not prepared to join the programme,” says Worthmann.

www.eskom.co.za/dsm states the rebate system is not in anyway exclusive. The current requirements of a supplier to sell systems that qualify for rebates are the following:
• Be able to offer a five year guarantee
• Submit documents, including public liability and company details
• Have system tested and passed at the SABS for the following:
o Safety
o Mechanical
o Thermal

The actual rebate claiming process
The ten step program on reclaiming a rebate (according to the Eskom-system), can be summed up as follows:
• Thoroughly research the solar water heating system.
• Call EEDSM Help or visit www.eskom.co.za/dsm to get an approved supplier.
• Get an Eskom approved installer to install the (Eskom approved) system.
• Make sure an (Eskom approved) timer is installed by an ECB registered electrician.
• Get your supplier, installer and electrician to fill out the relevant details on your claim form.
• Complete the rest of the details and attach the relevant documents (original invoice, copy of ID, copy of utility bill and/or electricity bills are listed as examples).
• Post the claim to the facilitating auditors (Deloitte) in a self addressed envelope or drop it off in a designated drop box within six months of installation.
• Wait for a SMS notification that a) the facilitating auditors have received your application and b) when your application is processed and queued for electronic funds transfer/your form is incomplete.
• Payment is made within eight weeks of receipt.
• Random technical audits will be carried out on some systems to ensure installation quality and operation.

Types of solar water heating systems
According to Shirley, there are two main types of solar water heating system; the closed loop and the open loop heating systems. “A closed loop system uses heat exchanger fluid and an open loop means that your actual drinking water goes through a tube through the solar panel.” Shirley says that South Africans have three general solar water heating categories to consider when choosing a system:
1. Thermo-siphon systems. This solar water heating system works like a heating suction where the tank sits above the solar panel of tubes. Water temperature and density are used to create the heat cycle of the system.
2. Pumped or split system. The tank of a pumped or split system is separate from the collector (the tank is usually in the roof in this case).
3. Retrofit. Although a bit of money will be saved when retrofitting an electric geyser to work as a solar water geyser, Shirley believes that this is not the correct way of installing a solar water heating system if the current geyser is more than three years old and an entirely new system should be installed instead of retrofitting an existing geyser.

Proven technology – the problem is money and public buy-in
The value of Eskom’s solar water heating rebate is based on the capability of the system to replace the use of electrical energy and all solar water heating systems included in the programme will have a SABS test conformity report rating their efficiency (www.eskom.co.za/dsm). Based on these test results, a system will qualify for a rebate ranging typically between ZAR1 500 and ZAR5 000.

www.eskom.co.za/dsm states that electrical geysers use between 30% and 50% of a household’s monthly electricity bill and replacing a conventional geyser with a solar powered system will reduce that percentage of electricity consumption by up to 70%.

“The technology is proven internationally and people now trust the technology in South Africa. The only problem is funding. Even though the solar water heating rebate has made the payback period more viable, the general public still has to be convinced to spend the initial capital on purchasing a system. The client then needs to recover the subsidy from a third party, which means that they are burdened with the administrative issues involved,” says Shirley.

The deadlines
“The important thing is that the rebate won’t last forever and it has been put in place to encourage people to switch now rather than later,” says Shirley.

Worthmann confirmed that there is in fact a deadline for Eskom’s programme. “The Solar Water Heating Programme will continue until 2014 as per an agreement with the Minister of Energy, or when the first million units are installed,” says Worthmann. “Eskom is engaging with various financial institutions and insurance companies, to increase the uptake of SWHs in the programme. People don’t want to spend money on replacing a system that is functioning, which is why we are engaging with the insurance companies to replace damaged geysers with solar. We are also focusing on working with the municipalities to assist them to help their consumers to convert. This rebate will be offered to all qualifying persons and installations as long as funds are available.”

Electrical geysers – who is losing?
“In the solar water heating industry, almost all geyser manufacturers have either completely switched to solar water heating systems or they are including solar ranges into their product offerings,” explains Shirley. “The industry knows that solar water heating is the future and everyone is adapting. I don’t think there are any suppliers who truly believe that selling only electrical geysers is a financially viable option – power is getting too expensive and that situation is not going to change. We need to change the way we heat water.”

Bredenkamp comments that although solar water heating systems are more widespread today, there are still people selling electrical geysers. “Like I’ve said before, there are certain applications where there is no choice but to install an electric geyser. Many solar water heaters are installed in parallel with an electric geyser, which serves as a back-up for when there are extended periods of inclement weather, so we can’t just do away with electrical geysers,” says Bredenkamp.

Solar water heating life cycle
Shirley says that, “the life cycle of electric geysers and solar water heating systems are more or less the same”.  “Electric geysers generally have a five year guarantee, some have a ten year guarantee, and the design lifetime of a good solar water heating system is around 20 years.

Although www.eskom.co.za/dsm states that most systems are guaranteed for five years, the expected life of the equipment is between ten and 15 years and that each piece of equipment has a different profile, which depends on various elements such as geographical area, water usage profile, number of users and the size of the system.

Bredenkamp explains that even if you had to replace a relatively more expensive solar water heating system approximately every ten years, the energy savings that one receives is still worth the more expensive initial costs.

“The energy savings will definitely make up for the initial costs of the system, but there are some instances where it would not be worth it, such as a holiday home that is only used for one month of the year. It is not really a good idea having a ‘un-utilised’ solar water heater installed, as the pressure build-up can lead to problems with various components of the system, such as the rubber seals,” says Bredenkamp.

“Although in principle, we would like to see as many solar water heaters on roofs as possible, one has to do a realistic assesment of the situation and a simple calculation, to determine the sheer economics of the specific application.”

Imports not designed for our climate or resources
www.eskom.co.za/dsm states that although solar water heating technology is not new to the industry in South Africa, it is still characterised by high manufacturing costs and low sales volumes.

“Although the market for solar water heating systems in South Africa is certainly growing, the biggest concern for local suppliers is reputable companies being bombarded by people overseas bringing back cheap goods,” says Shirley. “The problem is not only that overseas solar water heating suppliers don’t have a proper working knowledge of our national codes of practice or that they can not offer a back up service, the problem is that these products are not always designed for South Africa’s climate or resources. Our ambient temperature and solar radiation levels are not the same as many overseas countries, meaning that there needs to be corrective design at the factory level to ensure correct water temperature limits are met for imported systems.

Bredenkamp says that although there will always be the problem of cheap imports, South Africa has standards and procedures in place to protect consumers from the majority of poor quality solar water heaters.

“There will always be cases where opportunistic individuals see a business opportunity and start importing ‘cheap’ products from various countries abroad. We in South Africa are lucky in this respect, since all products that want to qualify for a subsidy, need to be tested and passed by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). There is a national standard with which the products need to comply and the SABS and the Tshwane University of Technology have the equipment to test products according to this standard,” says Bredenkamp.

“However, we must caution the public against purchasing solar water heaters that may initially appear to be cheaper (even without any subsidy), than those who have been tested by the SABS. In most cases, these products will not withstand the test of time and the supplier or distributor may not be around in future to honor any given guarantees. It is therefore imperative that the public insist on seeing a SABS test report of the specific product, before making a purchase decision.”

Engineering precision of commercial solutions
Shirley says that commercial solar water heating systems are very different from the types of solar water heating systems that home owners use. “Commercial solar water heating systems are an entirely different story,” says Shirley. “A lot of engineering work is involved and the costs are obviously higher. Instead of installing one or two panels, you may need over 100 panels with large storeage tanks in the case of a hospital or hotel where a lot of hot water is consumed. But even though this is expensive, the electricity savings does make it financially viable.”

According to Worthmann, Eskom will have a programme in place for commercial applications this year. “We are busy formalising a commercial sector solar programme which we hope to launch mid-year. There are many competent companies that can design and install these large systems, and have being doing so for many years,” says Worthmann.

“The way I see it, solar water heating systems for commercial applications are about reducing a company’s carbon footprint and lowering your operating costs. A solar water heater should be seen as an investment, not a product. When you buy a solar water heating system, you are buying hot water for the next 15 – 20 years and you are using a lot less energy for this hot water,” concludes Shirley

Ultimately we at Greencon realise you can have the best solar geyser system in the world, but it won’t do any good if it can be installed properly.

Pacific Light & Power will build a 10-megawatt solar thermal plant that will combine a trough solar collector from Spain’s Albiasa with a turbine traditionally used in geothermal systems.

Why? Ten megawatts is unusually small for a solar thermal field. BrightSource Energy, by contrast, wants to build one in California that will produce 396 megawatts of power. Most solar thermal systems, however, collect heat from the sun to turn water into steam and then feed the steam into gigantic turbines. The heat requirements and the size of the solar thermal fields mean that solar thermal parks can only be built economically in places like North Africa or Arizona where the sun shines almost every day of the year, lots of empty land exists, and humidity remains almost nonexistent. Even the presence of a few clouds can depress the power output.

Geothermal turbines swap water and steam for organic fluids like butane, which turn to vapor at lower temperatures. Thus, geothermal turbines require less heat, which in turn allows for smaller solar fields in a wider range of climates and geographies. Like traditional solar thermal systems, excess heat can be stored and run through the system in the evening or when cloud cover descends.

Jesse Tippett, the managing director of Albiasa, likens it to thin-film solar panels. The underlying technology may not be as efficient but it can generate energy in a wider variety of circumstances.

When completed in 2011, the plant — located on the island of Kauai — will provide close to seven percent of the power needed on the island.

Alibasa and PLP describe it as a hybrid plant, but it’s more of an unusual concatenation. Generally, hybrid plants are power plants that combine renewable energy generation — like solar thermal systems or biogas burners — with gas turbines to provide more baseline-like power. Florida Power and Light and Abengoa are currently building hybrid plants.

Power from the plant will be “close to Hawaiian (grid) parity,” he said, which means expensive. Electric power in Hawaii costs around 25.78 cents a kilowatt hour, the highest rate in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration. Hawaii generates most of its power from diesel generators. But Albiasa will study ways to bring the cost down to make these systems feasible elsewhere.

A perfect complement to the sustainable development initiatives spearheaded by the UAE, Burj Khalifa uses solar panels to heat 140,000 litres of water every day, which will be distributed to homes and commercial entities within the tower. The solar powered water brings energy savings equivalent to 3,200 kilo watts per day and 690MWh of energy per annum. The thermal energy initiative at Burj Khalifa highlights Emaar s commitment to partner in the Government s sustainable development goals, according Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director UAE, Emaar Properties. “Energy efficient measures, especially through use of renewable sources, are not an option but an imperative for sustainable growth. By leveraging solar power, Burj Khalifa is setting an example as well as creating a referral mark on how urban developments can effectively integrate energy-friendly initiatives,” he added. The solar heating system is installed and operated by SOLE UAE Solar Systems, the oldest solar thermal company in Europe. “Burj Khalifa presented us a remarkable opportunity to use solar energy to meet the water heating needs of residents in the tower. The significant benefits include cost savings on energy uses not only for the tower but the Government utility provider too as well as reduced pollution levels leading to a healthier environment,” said John Owen of SOLE UAE.

The solar panels of Burj Khalifa serve as solar collectors, as against photovoltaic electricity generation technology. Located on roof of The Offices, the annexure of Burj Khalifa, 378 collector panels, each 7ر2 sq m in area, can heat the entire 140,000 litres of water in approximately 7 hours of day time solar radiation. Among other key sustainable energy and water use measures, the condensate from all the air-conditioning equipment in Burj Khalifa is reclaimed to cool the potable water from Dubai Electricity & Water Authority. The condensate is then collected in an on-site irrigation tank and used for tower s landscaping. When operational, this system will provide about 15 million gallons of supplemental water per year. Within the confines of Burj Khalifa s architectural design that ofa tall building with a fully glazed fa ade and little solar shading – a concerted effort has been made in the design and construction to make it environment-friendly. To ensure energy efficiency, Fresh Air Handling Units have been fitted with thermal wheels and, wherever possible, economizer modes. Additionally, there is extensive use of variable speed drives on the air-handling and water-circulating equipment to also add to energy efficiency.

The air-conditioning and water systems also incorporate extensive energy saving control systems to reduce part load energy consumption. Burj Khalifa s cladding system is constructed to high standards with a high shading co-efficient and a low U-value to reduce the transfer of external heat gains. Additional energy use efficiency measures in place include automated solar shading at entrance pavilions. Burj Khalifa also features several measures to reduce water consumption /WC/ including water flow restrictors and low water volume WC installed in all public areas. Burj Khalifa is a mixed-use tower featuring luxurious residences, commercial suites and the world s first Armani Hotel and Armani Residences. The tower also has a rich array of luxurious amenities including four swimming pools, an exclusive residents lounge, health and wellness facilities, and At.mosphere, the world s highest fine dining restaurant at Level 122. At the Top, the world s highest observatory with an outdoor terrace, is already one of Dubai s most popular attractions. Burj Khalifa anchors Downtown Dubai, the 500-acre self-contained mega-development by Emaar Properties. Home-owner orientation is currently ongoing.

Copyright 2010 Emirates News Agency (WAM) – Emirates News Agency (WAM) All Rights Reserved Provided by Al Bawaba

Old flat plate solar geyser had served its 25yrs, it was time for a new solar geyser to be installed.

Notice, double story and quiet a mean pitch!

A new platform has to be built in the roof trusses for the new geyser, to be “housed”.

Using new Vacuum Tube technology. Great Job.

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