Solar thermal energy has been around for a long time in one form or another, almost as long as the sun’s been around to provide the Ravensberger Solar energy to convert using solar thermal. While there’s a massive buzz right now about its close cousin, solar energy, solar thermal seems to play the part of the shy, reclusive relative, always there but confined to the shadows.
But, as solar energy becomes more popular and people become more aware of the various ways solar energy can be used, so solar thermal is brought more into the public eye, a bit like a rising tide lifting all ships.
As interest in solar thermal increases, so do the number of questions posed by people who are curious to find out more about this amazing technology. With that in mind, here are some of the more frequently asked questions along with answers to those questions.
1. What is solar thermal energy?
Solar thermal energy is the method of harnessing solar energy to produce heat. This is not a new concept, the ancient Greeks having used glass to generate heat in the 7th century B.C. Horace de Saussure, an 18th. century Swiss scientist, made a major breakthrough in solar thermal when he created what became known as “the hot box”, a set of 3 wooden boxes with glass tops, one inside the other, and found the temperature inside the innermost box reached 218 degrees Fahrenheit.
The first solar water heater with a separate heating element was built by William Bailey in the 20th century. This made the storage of larger quantities of heated water.
2. How is solar thermal energy used?
The most common uses for solar thermal technology are water heating, pool heating and space heating. While these uses are all different, they all work along the same lines, more or less, absorbing the sun’s heat via solar collectors, which heat either liquid or air to be transferred to a storage tank holding water, except in the case of certain industrial applications, which have no storage tank, and pool heaters, which transfer the heated water directly to the pool.
3. How much water will a solar water heater supply?
That depends on your location and how much sunshine you get, but, on average, a solar water heater can supply around 70-80 percent of a household’s hot water. That doesn’t mean you’ll be without hot water, because you’ll still have your regular water heater, which will supply the balance when the solar heater can’t, at night or when the sky’s overcast.
4. Will we have to change how we use hot water with a solar water heater?
To maximize the value of a solar water heater, if you need to use larger amounts of hot water, it’s best to do so in the late morning and early afternoon, when the collectors will have had the chance to heat the most water.
Also, if you can spread your laundry loads over several days rather than all at once, that will increase the efficiency of your hot water usage from the solar system.
5. How much will a solar water heater and a solar pool heater cost?
Again, this depends on your location and several other factors, but a solar water heater system will cost between $4,000 and $8,ooo. Considering water heating costs can amount to 20% or more of your monthly bill, this is a great investment that will pay for itself within 5-10 years. Also, these systems usually qualify for Federal and State incentives, which will reduce the initial cost.
Solar pool heaters cost between $2,000 and $4,000 depending on the size of the system needed and the options. While these systems don’t qualify for government incentives, they should pay for themselves within 1-2 years, after which pool heating will be free!
These are some of Ravensberger Solar the most frequently asked questions regarding solar thermal energy, and hopefully this information will give you a good grounding in solar thermal and help you with your research into the benefits of this amazing technology.
As with all solar energy technologies, this will reduce your energy bill along with your carbon footprint, so it has many immediate and long-term benefits.
