Taylor D. Miles H. APES 3 rd 4/06/10

They are environmentally friendly Helps save the earth’s energy resources It is the best choice for people who have allergies To use a little energy while saving money You can save between 50%- 80% on your current heating bill Going solar is an excellent start for reducing energy as well as to saving the planet

Versatility in almost any climate Can reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, especially from OPEC Has little environmental impacts; only requires energy from the sun against a solar panel/cell effectively placed on the roof of a house for the best energy collection. Can give way to new jobs in the production of different types of solar water heating systems. Very long lasting and reduces costs in the long run

There is five main components of an active solar water heater. They are the collectors, storage tanks, backup heating system, circulation system, and control system Most of the solar water heaters require a well-insulated tank. This two-tank systems preheats the water before it enters the conventional water heater. The collector is constructed with an Al box into an all copper absorber plate, then a low-iron tempered glass to cover the plate is added to create a greenhouse affect that can deliver high temperatures. There are 3 different types of solar collectors for residential applications: Flat-plate collector Integral collector- storage systems Evacuated-tube solar collectors Then there is two types of active solar heating systems: Direct circulation systems Indirect circulation systems

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The start out cost vary from $4,000 to $8,000 this depends on the following: Size of family to be served Size and brand of solar system Type of roof Building codes Orientation of panels It’s not always sunny. Cold weather.

The current recession itself prevents most purchases of solar water heating systems; plus the start-up costs to implement them in a home are high, which almost nullifies any tax breaks put toward it. Low consumer confidence cripples any thought of purchasing them. There is also a lack of subsidies; more of those go toward fossil fuels. There is little public awareness of solar water heating in homes as well

There are almost no negative environmental impacts from this system; all it requires is the sunlight from the sun to hit the solar cells that convert that energy to heat so there’s hot water. However, solar water heating itself cannot stand alone. It is recommended that there is a back-up conventional heating system in place in case the system malfunctions or breaks down. There is also a low net energy yield for it; since it is preheated and put into a tank/canister, this has a chance to cool off, so it’s best used in the early afternoon/evening.

SOLAR WATER HEATER: FREE energy from the Sun STANDARD WATER HEATER: COSTLY gas or electric Annual operating cost: $50Annual operating cost: $500+ Storage Capacity: galStorage Capacity: gal Life expectancy: yearsLife expectancy: 8-12 years Lifetime operating cost: $1,000Lifetime operating cost: $10,000 Does NOT pollute environmentDepletes fossil fuels Increases equity in your homeNo added value to your home 25% return on your investmentNo return on utility payments Protection from future increasesAt mercy of utilities/government Hot water during blackouts!No hot water during blackouts

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