Solar Water Heaters...

Keith R

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Jan 1, 2002
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An interesting article about how Sao Paulo is looking to follow Barcelona's example:

Hot Water from Sunshine
Mario Osava

RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 1 (IPS) - Turning sunshine into electricity is still too costly for it to become widespread, but using it to heat water is a viable option that is expanding in many countries, and could make great strides in Brazil.​

Something for the DR to consider? And no, they are not talking about tinacos. :classic: Something a bit more sophisticated than that...

Some useful snips from the article, quoted as fair-use:

In Barcelona, the plan led to a ten-fold increase in the number of solar water heaters within three years

Given the DR's ties to Spain, and good relations with the authorities in Barcelona in recent years, it seems to me maybe Dominican authorities should talk to Barcelona's about their program and the lessons it holds...

It is important to set up alternatives of this kind, because the greatest obstacle to more widespread use of solar heaters is the relatively high cost of the equipment, which requires an investment of about 600 dollars for a family of four, for example, while an electric water heater costs just over 100 dollars.

Opening up ways of financing the purchase is therefore a decisive factor in encouraging widespread use of the system, especially in Brazil, where interest rates on bank loans are extremely high - often over 100 percent annually in real terms, that is, disregarding inflation.

While Dominican interest rates are not nearly so high, they are high enough to be a possible impediment. So I'm guessing this would apply to the DR as well...

...this consumption is concentrated between the hours of 6:00 and 9:00 PM local time. At this peak time, the share of total consumption is 18 percent.

Because of this, even electricity distribution companies wish to expand the use of solar water heaters. They lose out on energy sales, but they save much more by reducing peak demand, which causes immense waste.

Hmmm, Leonel was talking about the need to reduce demand. Maybe this is one route to consider -- maybe at least for resorts, hospitals, condo buildings of a certain size, etc.?

Rodrigues and other environmentalists propose that this alternative energy use be included in the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, as eligible for certificates of reduction in emission of greenhouse gases. These could generate income as an added stimulus to adopting solar water heaters.
 

MommC

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Mar 2, 2002
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We had solar panels to provide hot water when we bought our condo....

I dare say one of the few such systems in existance in the DR. at the time.

However there was a big problem with them.

1) semi saline water from the well - rusted out the metal components and holding tanks very quickly.

2) sand and debris from the well - gummed up the tubing constantly so they were always blocked and needing repair.

3) temperature of the water was luke warm at best and whoever used it first got slightly above luke warm water while the next user was SOL.

4) water from the 'tinacos' was almost the same temp.

Now with 'city' water the problems of rusting would not be such an issue however 'debris' still is. I have to dismantle the little filters on the spigots for all my sinks and showers at least once a week otherwise the water doesn't flow.

Individual solar systems may be great for single family homes however I think volume would still be a problem for apartment buildings such as ours.

Our complex discontinued using the panels after several years when the holding tanks rusted out and sold the panels to a person who installed all four (for a 16 unit building) to provide water for a single dwelling.

He loved them!!;)
 

Keith R

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Thanks for the input, MommC. Can I ask when your system was installed? I'm wondering if (1) there have been any changes/improvements in solar water heating systems since then; (2) the system used in Barcelona is the same.
 

rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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MommC said:
Individual solar systems may be great for single family homes however I think volume would still be a problem for apartment buildings such as ours.

Our complex discontinued using the panels after several years when the holding tanks rusted out and sold the panels to a person who installed all four (for a 16 unit building) to provide water for a single dwelling.
The Costalunga Hotel in Boca Chica has been using solar to heat their water for about five years. It seems to work well. The water is very hot, and doesn't seem to run out.

I don't know if the problems you were having with your system were due different technology, or the age of the system or it's possible that the Costalunga is having the same problems you were having. I'll inquire the next time I'm in BC.
 

Keith R

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rellosk said:
The Costalunga Hotel in Boca Chica has been using solar to heat their water for about five years. It seems to work well. The water is very hot, and doesn't seem to run out.

I don't know if the problems you were having with your system were due different technology, or the age of the system or it's possible that the Costalunga is having the same problems you were having. I'll inquire the next time I'm in BC.
Interesting. Hey Ed, if you have a digi camera and take a few shots of their system, I would love to make them and the hotel's answers about the system into a short GT blog entry.
 

MommC

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No doubt there have been dramatic improvements in the last 16 yrs.
As I said ours was probably one of the few systems in use in the DR back in 1990. It was probably installed sometime in the late '80's using the technology of the time.
The panels were huge as were the holding tanks which were made of metal with an insulating layer of something that looked suspiciously like asbestos but I couldn't be sure of that.
I have seen some of the newer panels and they are somewhat smaller but still quite expensive for a large installation.
I've looked at a single "family" sized panel with the thought of installing one for our own unit but costs made it unreasonable.
We've installed flow through electric instead which work quite well and only consumes electricity when we actually use hot water.
Fairly inexpensive to buy and install and does away with 'holding' gallons of water at a preset temperature.
In fact I like them so well I'm considering installing them in our house in Canada!
 

rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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Keith R said:
Interesting. Hey Ed, if you have a digi camera and take a few shots of their system, I would love to make them and the hotel's answers about the system into a short GT blog entry.
I probably won't be going back until March or April. I think Jrzyguy will be in BC this month. If he doesn't chime in, send him a PM.