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Solar Thermal

Basics

NetPLUS Concepts

Energy independence through thermal solu4ons

The BTU (British Thermal Unit) is a basic measure of the potential to do work. It is defined

as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one

degree Fahrenheit.

(One gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds).

www.NetPLUSConcepts.com

As technologies go, insulating is not particularly “sexy”. But insulating and sealing (of windows, doors, etc.), up

to a point, yields the largest possible “bang” for the energy dollars spent.


“R-value” indicates a material’s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness.

Variables which drive R-values: •  Type (Material) of Insulation •  Material Thickness •  Material Density •  Multiple Layers Sum Their Values •  Installation Quality

•  Gaps or Compressed Insulation •  Studs, Rafters and Joists

Source: http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11340


Source: http://www.coloradoenergy.org/procorner/stuff/r-values.htm


Developed to minimize heat losses (and thus cut energy expenses) for residential housing in Northern Europe, The PassivHaus Standard is now being promoted globally by the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt, Germany.

THE STANDARD SIMPLIFIED (Really!): Maximum annual heating energy use of 4,755 Btu per square foot Maximum annual cooling energy use of 1.39 kWh per square foot Maximum energy use for all purposes of 11.1 kWh per square foot Maximum air infiltration lower than one air change per hour at 50 pascals of depressurization (no greater than 0.60 AC/H @ 50 pascals)

Achieving this level of thermal performance requires at least R-45 walls, an R-65 roof and an R-20 slab, and diligent efforts

to minimize thermal bridges and seal air leaks. These standards, however, have a significant impact on total house

cost and are, by design, more effective in cold climates than in hotter climates.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_house


Source: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_sum.html


In total, coal, nuclear and natural gas plants produce 87% of our electricity, in some 6,600 facilities.





US Plant Types:

1,500 Coal-fired

104 Nuclear

4,500 Natural gas

Insolation is a measure of the sun’s radiated energy received by a given surface area in a given time. It is commonly expressed as average irradiance in watts per square meter (W/m2) per day or kilowatt-hours per square meter per day (kWh/m2/day).

A typical 10kW photovoltaic installation requires ~1,000 square feet of space and produces ~30 kW per day.

A same-sized solar thermal system in Atlanta, GA would collect an average of ~1,300 BTUs per square foot, or ~1,300,000 BTUs per day, all year long.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insolation and http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/atlanta-georgia.html


Source: http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/atlanta-georgia.html

(In BTUs Collected Per Day - 1,000 Square Feet)


0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

US residential housing inventory is ~112,000,000 units

If each unit generated 30kW/day, average, then

112,000,000 homes X 30 kW/day = 3,360,000 kW/day 3,360,000 kW = 3.36 tW

3.36 tW/day X 30 days/month = 100.8 tW/month

January’s generation = 363.38 tW – 100.8 tW = 262.58 tW

27.7% of total US generation last January! Source: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_sum.html


Assuming $25,000 per 10kW PV installation, outfitting 112,000,000 homes would cost $2.8 Trillion dollars

12¢/kWh X 100.8 tW/month = $12,096,000,000

$2.8 Trillion ÷ $12.096 Billion = 231.48 months (19.3 years)

NOTE: No allowances have been made for increases in the retail price of electricity or for any incentives, rebates or subsidies.



Source: http://www.eia.gov/emeu/recs/recs2005/c&e/summary/excel/tableus15.xls

$346

$370

$273

$129

$617

Space Heating

Air Conditioning

Domestic Water

Refrigeration

Other – Appliances and Lighting

Residential Average of Monthly Utility Bills South Atlantic Region (Census Division)


Source: http://www.eia.gov/emeu/recs/recs2005/c&e/summary/excel/tableus15.xls

36%

64% Electrical

Thermal

Thermal Demand Versus Plug Load South Atlantic Region (Census Division)


Source: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/recs/recs2005/c&e/detailed_tables2005c&e.html

20.32%

21.73%

16.03%

7.57%

36.23%

Space Heating

Air Conditioning

Water Heating

Refrigerators

Other Appliances and Lighting


Solar thermal collectors have long been used to supplement domestic hot water production, provide swimming pool

heating and to a lesser extent space heating. Refrigeration and air conditioning requirements are currently being met

with the integration of absorption chilling.

Image courtesy of Eco-Max – Athens, Georgia


Solar thermal technology is also being paired with Organic Rankine Cycle engines to generate electricity.

Image courtesy of Infinity Turbine

  Home Owners Associations   CC&Rs

  Legislative and Regulatory   Technology-Specific Mandates or Exclusions

  (See: http://www.dsireusa.org/)

  Changing the Rules

  Building Codes   Mandates and Prohibitions

  Permit Hassles and Inspections Costs


Solar subsidies are a victim of state budget crunches In New Jersey, the rebate for buying a solar array was temporarily suspended in May as the state tried to plug a general budget gap. It has since been reinstated but provides homeowners only half the money it used to.

The state has also pick-pocketed the funds that ratepayers put into the regional carbon-trading exchange. This money comes from a surcharge on fossil fuel power, which amounts to an average of 41 cents on a $110 monthly electric bill.

Similar dramas have played out in Arizona, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, and California as solar incentives have been suspended for varying reasons.


(See: http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=solar-subsidies-are-a-victim-of-sta-2010-07-29 )

Ken Button, the president of Verengo Solar Plus, a residential solar panel installer in Orange, Calif., says his company — and his industry — are being strangled by municipal red tape. Fifteen Verengo employees, Mr. Button said, are dedicated solely to researching and tailoring permit applications to meet the bureaucratic idiosyncrasies of the dozens of towns in the company’s market. And because most jurisdictions require applications to be submitted in person, Verengo employs two “permit runners” whose only job, Mr. Button said, is to “take those permit packs and physically drive them around, stand in line, and pay the fees.” “We have 50 different permitting authorities within 50 miles of our office,” Mr. Button said. “They all have different documentation requirements, different filing processes, different fee structures. It’s like doing business in 50 different countries — just in Southern California.” “This is in essence a hidden tax on solar,” Mr. Button said. His lament is being echoed by solar companies across the country. In a new study, the industry estimates that the permit dance adds an average of $2,500 in costs to each installation, and streamlining things could provide a $1 billion stimulus to the residential and commercial solar power market over the next five years.


(See: h#p://www.ny+mes.com/2011/01/20/business/energy-‐environment/20permit.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=solar+firms+frustrated+by+permits&st=nyt

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