Consider installing a solar power water heater. Take up my suggestion and not only will you have warm fuzzy feelings about not negatively impacting the environment any more. By installing a solar power water heater, you will save on heating bills too. So, three cheers for the good old solar power water heater. Hip hip …
But hold on a second. What exactly IS a solar water heater and why would I need one anyway?
A solar power water heater is basically a solar energy collector sat in an insulated box that is fitted onto the roof. The box also includes copper pipes painted black and a parabolic mirror to focus the sunlight onto the pipes. In order to heat the water, it is pumped into the solar power water heater and then collected in a reservoir or tank of sorts.
Your solar power water heaters will probably be designed such that the pipes do not remain filled with water in order to avoid freezing in low temperatures.
While solar power water heaters can be used to provide central heating to the house, the logistics of such a system are so complicated that it is best to use them for heating water.
While solar power water heaters aren’t exactly cheap, in warm places which don’t need the added design of anti-freezing the cost of the system can be lower. Even then, the overall cost of the solar power water heaters will be on the slightly high side since it is still relatively new technology.
Of course there is only the installation cost and thereafter you which can amount to quite a bit in the long term.
With all the energy crisis, pollution and rising global warming issues, it has become imperative to use alternative forms of energy which not only meet our constantly rising demands but also help in preserving a healthy and clean environment.
These types of energy are those which are commonly referred to as renewable sources of energy which include wind energy, tidal energy, wind energy, biomass, biogas, solar energy etc.
Of all the types of renewable energy, solar energy has the maximum potential for meeting the entire planet’s energy demands several thousand times over. Solar energy, if harnessed and used correctly can perform a large number of tasks.
There are basically two ways in which solar energy can be used. One is in the form of thermal energy which uses the heat provided by the sun, and the other is in the form of solar power which is solar energy converted into electricity. These are also known as active and passive actions where passive is using the thermal energy as it is and active is converting the energy into electricity.
Passive solar energy i.e. using the thermal energy of the sun has been used for millennia. Man has been using the sun’s heat for drying food, clothes, cooking etc forever. Today, recognizing this value of solar energy, several simple equipments have been designed. Common amongst these is a solar power water heater, which, as the name suggests, is used to heat water.
The solar power water heater is basically solar collectors in an insulated box fitted onto the roof. The box also includes copper pipes painted black and a parabolic mirror to focus the sunlight onto the pipes. In order to heat the water, it is pumped into the solar power water heater and then collected in a reservoir or tank of sorts.
Some power water heaters are also designed such that the pipes do not remain filled with water in order to avoid freezing in low temperatures.
While solar power water heaters can be used to provide central heating to the house, the logistics of such a system are so complicated that it is best to use them for heating water.
While your solar power water heater probably won’t be cheap, in warm places which don’t need the added design of anti-freezing the cost of the system can be lower. Of course there is only the installation cost to worry about. Aftre that has been paid for you can revel in the luxury of saving on your heating bills for 25 – 30 years at least.
Makes sense to me. Does it make sense to you?
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