TWO TYPES OF SOLAR

THERMAL SOLAR THERMAL SOLAR Heats WaterHeats Water

PHOTOVOLTAIC PHOTOVOLTAIC Generates Generates ElectricityElectricity

Using the sun to heat Using the sun to heat water is nothing new…water is nothing new…

• Back in the early 1900’s solar water heaters were common in California and Florida. As electricity became available and cheap, people started using it to heat their hot water. The solar collector is basically the same as it was back then.

Where does your electricity come from?

In the 1980’s, 86% of the energy consumed in Florida was with oil from the Middle East. When the price of oil spiked, so did your electric bill. In the 1990’s,

many Florida power plants changed to natural gas to

generate electricity. With the deregulation of natural gas,

prices have increased dramatically. In fact, natural gas prices have increased 174% since 2000. That’s not to say a

significant portion of electricity generated today

still comes from Middle Eastern oil.

Today there is more than enough sunshine falling on your roof to provide hot water for even the largest families. A solar water heater is a practical way to get your hot water versus all the effort it takes to extract crude oil from a well in the Middle East, load and ship it on a tanker across the globe to be burned in an electric power plant to create electricity that is then sent to your home via electric lines to ultimately be used to generate hot water for your household.

The chart illustrates electric rates in Florida over the past 35 years. There is a noticeable jump in the mid 70’s and in 1980 with the first and second Arab oil embargos. 1970 was the year US oil production peaked, and today we produce 5% less than we did back then. During

that same time frame, foreign oil imports have increased a whopping 270% while our fossil fuel consumption has

increased 35%.During the late 1980’s and 1990’s, the

United States enjoyed a period of relatively cheap oil imports, however the rising worldwide demand for fossil fuel has caused the price of oil and natural gas to increase dramatically. In 1970, the price of a barrel of oil was $4. In 1980, that same barrel of oil was $30 and it peaked in 2005 at

$70. Natural gas prices have increased 174% since 2000.

Electric rates have increased over 40% since 2000. Florida Power and Light was just approved to increase rates another

19% at the beginning of 2006. Hopefully, rates will stabilize soon, however even with a modest increase of 3% a year, by 2010 you will be paying 17% more for electricity than you are

today.

Historical Electric Historical Electric Rates in FloridaRates in Florida

Note the energy guide which shows a typical electric water heater uses $438 worth of

electricity annually. That is based on 7.6¢ per kilowatt

hour. Currently, we are paying 12¢ per kilowatt hour, which

would be $688.

SOLAR WATER HEATERS

The World’s Most

Efficient Appliance

In most cases a solar water heater can

provide 90%-95% of your annual

hot water consumption.

How a Solar Water Heater Works

In the morning, the sun rises and shines on the solar collector and the photovoltaic panel mounted on your roof. The photovoltaic panel generates electricity to a small DC current pump that circulates water from the bottom of your hot water storage tank through the solar collector on the roof. As the water is pumped through the solar collector, it absorbs the sun’s heat and then flows back to the tank. The more intense the sun, the faster the pump circulates the water through the solar collector. On average, a good day of sun will provide a two day supply of hot water. During periods of extended cloudy weather, a back-up electric element automatically comes on so you never run out of hot water. This type of system is designed for south and central Florida, where freezing weather is limited to less than 10 days per year. If you live in northern Florida, your Aquatherm solar contractor will show you which system best suits your needs.