The Sun, the power!
Solar Hot Water Systems - Renewable Energy 4 you! You may remember your first time to witness the power of the sun when harnessed by human idea - as a child holding a magnifying glass to start a scrap of paper on fire! The power of the sun has always been used by mankind, people hanging clothes outside to dry and be bleached white by the sun. Native americans used the sun to dry and preserve their food supplies. The sun’s heat has been used for decades to heat water for homes and businesses. At the turn of the 20th century, solar heated water systems were common in Southern California. Some countries have made their use mandatory. For example, all homes in Israel have solar hot water systems. More than one-half million solar hot water systems have been installed in the United States, mostly on single-family homes. The majority of these systems are used to heat swimming pools.
Typically, a homeowner relying on electricity to heat water could save up to $500 in the first year of operation by installing a solar water heating system. The savings over time increases due to increasing electricity rates. The average solar heating system pays for itself in four to seven years.
In the animation above, cold water from the home’s regular water line is being pumped to the roof (blue line) where it enters the thermal energy collector. Sunlight strikes the collector, and the sun’s heat warms the water. The heated water comes back into the home or business. Credits for this animation and description go to C.E.C..
