Solar Water Heating Houston, Texas | Alternative Power Solutions

Solar Water Heating

System Features

Commercial Solar Hot Water

An estimated 200,000 commercial solar water-heating systems have been installed in the United States. The basic technology for these systems are very simple. Sunlight strikes and heats an “absorber” surface within a “solar collector”. Either a heat-transfer fluid or the actual potable water flows through tubes attached to the absorber and picks up heat. The heated water is stored in a separate preheat tank or a conventional water heater tank until needed. Solar hot water systems require a backup system for cloudy days and times of increased demand using electricity or fossil-fuel energy.

Benefits

Nationwide, about 8% of all end-use natural gas is used to heat water in commercial and residential buildings. By re-ducing the amount of heat that must be provided by conventional water-heating, solar water-heating systems directly substitute renewable energy for conventional energy, reducing the use of electricity or fossil fuels by as much as 80%. Solar hot water heaters are used in many cases to reduce the cost of heating consumable water, steam for power generation, and process heat using the same system. These systems are typically used to extend the life and reduce the maintenace of gas fired boilers.

Types of Collectors

APS offer two types of solar collectors for our typical commercial applications:

* Glazed flat-plate collectors - Insulated, weatherproofed boxes that contain a dark absorber plate under one or more tempered glass covers

* Evacuated-tube solar collectors - Features parallel rows of transparent glass tubes. Each tube contains a glass outer tube and metal absorber tube attached to a fin. The fin’s coating absorbs solar energy but inhibits heat loss.

Commercial Solar Hot Water System

Sample Applications

Restaurants
Car Washes
Elderly Homes
Hotels and Resorts
Office Buildings
K-12 Schools
Agricultural and Husbandry
Colleges and Universities
Hospitals and Medical Clinics
Apartment and Condominiums
Correctional Facilities
Laundries and Dry Cleaners

Rebates and Incentives

The U.S. government provides an unlimited 30% tax credit or federal grant towards theinstallation of solar hot water heating systems on commercial buildings, in addition to a 50% depreciation bonus in the first year. There are also federal energy investment credits and multiple DOE programs to help offset the cost of these systems . Property tax exemptions can be claimed for the increase in property value as a result of the solar hot water system.

After-Sale Services

APS offers long term maintenance service contracts that can be purchased at the time of new system installation or on existing systems. Our service contracts enable the homeowner to ensure the continual performance of their systems be-yond the time of standard warranties.

Typical Install Cost

There is no typical cost for a commercial based solar water heating systems since all building, including energy consumption, and available space for system installtion vary so greatly. The multiple variables that influence the cost of these systems include but are not limited to the amount of water to be heated, the desired water tem-perature, the selected system collectors, and the desired function(s) of the system. Contact APS directly at sales@apowersolutions of enter your infomation in the Contact Us page for a detailed cost, ROI and incentive analysis for your building.

APS has multiple financing plans available to fit your budget.