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LIPA Solar Pioneer Program - LIPA's Solar Pioneer Program offers homeowners the...Solar Pool Heating Info - Handy tools and information on solar pool heating systems... EERE: Solar Energy Technologies Program - Solar energy is clean, abundant, widespread, and renewable. ... Long Island Solar Energy Industries Association - LISEIA is the Long Island Solar Energy Industries...
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 Facts about Solar Hot Water You can use the sun's free energy to heat water and lower your energy bills. Whether you heat water with electricity, oil, natural gas or propane, water heating is a typical household's second-highest energy cost. On Long Island, a solar water heater can save you hundreds of dollars each year. Will you run out of hot water on a cloudy day? No problem - solar hot water systems tie into existing conventional water heating systems for backup. What is the Difference between Solar Electricity (PV) and Solar Hot Water Heating? Solar hot water heating is specific to heating and cooling the water system and does not interfere with the electricity in your home or office. Solar electricity can completely replace or replace only a portion of your electricity system but cannot interfere with water heating and cooling. Is Solar Hot Water for You? If you have an unshaded, preferably south-facing location (a roof, for instance) on your property, you can install a solar water heater; flat roofs work the best in order to position the solar panel in the desired direction. Most homes require 2 or more panels, depending on the number of occupants, each panel about 4 feet wide and 8 to 10 feet long. A sizable roof is necessary. It is best if you live in a more open area in a generally sunny location with no surrounding towers for interference. Solar hot water heating needs no special maintenance once installed and is due to last over 20 years without malfunction. Millions of Americans have installed solar water heaters in their homes and businesses and most of them consider it a good investment. Why Are Solar Systems Good for the Environment? Conventional water heating, whether it uses electricity or fossil fuels like oil and gas, causes substantial air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Solar water heaters avoid these harmful emissions. Over 20 years, one solar water heater eliminates over 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. How Does It Work? Most solar hot water systems have two parts: a solar collector and a storage tank. The collector is usually mounted on the roof and carries the fluid - water or an antifreeze solution - to be heated. The tubes attach to an absorber plate, which is painted black to absorb heat. As heat builds up in the collector, it heats the fluid passing through the tubes. The storage tank then holds the hot liquid. Storage tanks can be just a modified water heater, but are usually larger and very well insulated. Systems that use fluids other than water usually heat the water by passing it through a coil of tubing in the tank, which is full of hot fluid.These systems can either be active or passive, active meaning that pumps are installed in order to get the water flowing from the collectors to the carriers and passive meaning that the water flow depend on gravity and natural water circulation due to heat.* What are some Different Types of Hot Water Systems? There are several different ways to use solar energy for hot water systems. Most systems use your existing water heating system as a back-up while others will heat the transfer fluid in collectors. For more information on the different types of systems please visit Department of Energy: Solar Hot Water and Space Heating & Cooling For more information on solar hot water heating visit http://www.nrel.gov/clean_energy/solarhotwater.html What Does a System Cost? How Long Will It Last?Prices for solar hot water systems vary by the type and size of the system and conditions at your home. On Long Island, installed systems typically cost less than $8,000 before applying available tax credits. The Federal Income Tax Credit is 30 percent of the net cost of the system (after any utility rebates). Click here for more on the Federal Tax Credit. New York State also provides a personal income tax credit of 25 percent with a maximum of $5,000 for domestic solar hot water systems. Click here for more on the NYS Tax Credit. You may also be eligible for a rebate from National Grid of 15% of your project costs for a solar hot water system up to a maximum of $ 1,500. To qualify, systems must be backed by a natural gas heater. Click here for more on the National Grid Solar Rebate. After the above rebates and tax credits your net cost for a solar hot water system may be less than $3,000. Most solar hot water systems will pay for themselves in 5 years or less and will provide hot water for another 20 years or more. What Should You Look for In a Solar Hot Water System? The manufacturer of the system should be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC), a non-profit organization that has developed national standards for solar water heating. The installer should be a reputable company with a valid contractor's license, listed with NYSEIA. Many of the PV contractors listed on our www.SunshineIsFree.org pages also install solar hot water systems.
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