It’s no surprise that Solar Thermal has taken the back seat to its more glamorous successor, solar photovoltaic (PV). It could be the mass marketing, the advanced technology, or the million dollar government projects – but ultimately America has its solar attention focused on PV.
Globally commercialized in the 1960’s, solar thermal is a simple concept that uses the sun’s energy to heat water. Because it is such an easy technology to adopt, the worldwide number of solar thermal systems to solar photovoltaic is 10:1. Solar Thermal is cheaper to manufacture, cheaper to install and requires less maintenance. Costing up to 1/3 less than Photovoltaic systems, before federal and state incentives (30%in California), Solar Thermal has a price advantage over a PV system. So with lower costs, shorter payback and easier maintenance, why is solar thermal not more popular?
Over the last decade, the appeal of sustainable energy has grown exponentially. As the growing solar market emerged – companies flooded the PV scene in search of the one goal: to offer quality products that will lower utility costs. Every company hopes to offer their clients the guarantee of a shorter payback period. However, the reality is that costs per watt have continued drop and production costs for PV panels have remained stagnant. As a result, PV systems still cost upwards of $25,000, which results in a payback period of over 15 years. Not exactly the cheap guarantee companies had hoped for when first investing in the technology…
Today, there are too many players and too little profit in the PV market. As America struggles to overcome its economic woes, the demand for extravagant solar systems has taken a plunge. With demand for systems at a low – there is an opportunity for Solar Thermal to use this down time to gain some momentum and increase its popularity.
When it comes to going solar, there is no right or wrong choice – but now more than ever, is the time for people to start looking into solar systems that cost less and provide a shorter payback. Solar thermal is, in most cases, the less expensive form of solar and will help a homeowner or business owner quickly reduce their carbon footprint at a lower cost.
Did you set any green goals for yourself this year?
Last year, I resolved to incorporate one small change into my daily life each month so I wouldn’t get overwhelmed or drive my family crazy. Some changes required an investment (new hybrid car), some changes were free (improved recycling habits), and some even saved us money (shorter showers). The trick is to identify a simple change and then after you’ve done it a few weeks, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner (reusable shopping bags).
Do you need some inspiration for your green goals? Watch this brief video of a 12-year old girl calling out the United Nations during their Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Although this video was shot in 1992, the message still rings true today.
This year, I am working to make little improvements to my home. I recently had a home energy audit and learned some interesting information. For example, I need to add insulation to my attic hatch, which is where the majority of the heat is escaping from my home. We are also considering adding solar thermal and PV but we’re still weighing our options.
So tell us! What are YOU doing this year to green your world?
Google and the state of California launched a new interactive tool today, CalADAPT, to help Californians understand the climate issues that we face in our local communities. We have some major issues looming over our heads but it’s not all doom and gloom. Arnold narrates the video which covers the risks that our lovely state faces as well as the action that is being taken to combat the changing climate.
I was surprised to learn that the average temperature in California increased two degrees in the last 50 years. I was even more surprised to learn that if we continue with “business as usual” the average temp will increase another seven degrees in this century. Now I have to say that I love warm weather as much as the next California girl but this would have an incredible impact on our world as we know it.
Whether you live in California or Connecticut, CalADAPT will help put a new perspective on the climate issues at hand. I encourage you to watch this short video and check out some of the visualization tools that they have on the CalADAPT website.
If you haven’t seen the 60 Minutes segment on coal ash, I encourage you to take a few minutes to learn all about the 130 million tons of waste that is created each year by burning coal for electricity.
Coal ash is one of the waste products created by burning coal and the utility industry says that it is as safe as dirt. Our friend, SolarFred, even found a fun coloring book that teaches kids all about “clean and safe” coal. (YIKES!) Watching this video definitely gives you a different perspective.
At this time, the disposal of coal ash is regulated by individual states but the EPA is currently reviewing if the federal government should regulate it as a hazardous waste. If this happens, the cost of proper disposal of coal ash would skyrocket, which would mean higher electricity costs for Americans. Call me crazy, but I think this is a necessary step to help people move into clean, renewable energy.
Can’t afford to invest in renewable energies like solar electricity, solar thermal, wind, or geothermal right now? Well you are not alone. But there are simple things that we all can do like conserving energy or requesting renewable energy from our utility company. And if you can afford renewable energy, then please do something now for your environment.
