Posts Tagged ‘Solar Thermal’
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
In California’s Silicon Valley, innovation has long been the catalyst that propels products, technologies and companies from the garage or lab to the dizzying heights of success. Achieving that success requires innovators to first catch lightning in a bottle, and then find the right partners to help release it one spark at a time. This holds true in the realm of solar air-conditioning just as it does for many other technologies.
SunWater Solar, Santa Clara University (SCU) and San Jose-based Chromasun, whose innovation resulted in the creation of the Micro-Concentrator (MCT) solar collector, today announced the successful completion of a solar air conditioning project at the 2007 SCU Solar Decathlon House. This solar-powered house is well-known locally as a showcase for 21st century green technologies, and a venue for collaboration between students and organizations promoting sustainable living.
SunWater Solar’s expertise was key to the success of the Solar Decathlon House solar cooling project. Chromasun selected SunWater Solar as the team with the expertise to remove the House’s original solar thermal system, install three sleek new MCT collectors and other system components, and then link them with the absorption chiller that produces cold water used in the air conditioning process.
We at SunWater Solar are excited to offer innovative solar cooling technology to our clients, and look forward to working closely with Chromasun on additional projects in Silicon Valley and beyond.
Tags: Chromasun, cooling, MCT, renewable energy, Santa Clara University, Silicon Valley, Solar Cooling, Solar Decathlon House, Solar Thermal
Posted in Solar Cooling | No Comments »
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
Renowned vintners Williams Selyem Winery announced this week the opening of a new winery in Healdsburg, California. Notable green features of the new 28,000 square foot facility include a green roof of native grasses and a solar PV system, as well as a solar thermal system installed by SunWater Solar. The system is powered by 14 solar thermal collectors that will heat approximately 650 gallons of water per day with clean, renewable energy from the sun. The winery will use this hot water to clean barrels, tanks, equipment and floors, and also to sterilize wine bottles.
A solar thermal system is an astute investment for wineries, which, like breweries, require large quantities of hot water in their operations. Utility bills associated with heating this water can be a major financial burden that puts wineries at the mercy of volatile fuel prices. Wineries that rely on natural gas or electricity for water-heating can immediately achieve substantial savings on fuel costs by adopting solar thermal. For “off the grid” wineries that heat water with propane, the savings are even greater because propane is even more expensive than natural gas.
SunWater Solar wishes to congratulate Williams Selyem on the completion of their new winery, and thank them for choosing us to build their solar thermal system.
Tags: Commercial, Domestic Hot Water, process heat, renewable energy, solar, solar hot water, Solar Thermal, Solar Water Heating, Sonoma County, winery
Posted in Process Heat, Solar Water Heating | No Comments »
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
As announced today by the San Jose Credit Union, a first-of-its-kind solar group buy program has put low-cost solar thermal into the hands of 130 San Jose employees and retirees. This group buy program is unique because it is the first such program in the U.S. that allows members of an organization – rather than residents of a specific neighborhood or city – to purchase residential solar thermal (or PV) systems at a group discount. Group buy participants are eligible for low interest solar loans from the Credit Union and pre-negotiated discounts on solar systems from specific vendors, including SunWater Solar. Homeowners are also eligible for substantial federal and state solar rebates that further lower the cost of the systems.
SunWater Solar is proud to be the solar thermal vendor of choice for the San Jose Employee Solar Group Buy program. We look forward to bringing the benefits of solar thermal to program participants!
Tags: Financing, Rebate, San Jose, San Jose credit union, solar group buy, solar hot water, Solar Thermal, Solar Water Heating
Posted in Residential Solar, Solar Water Heating | No Comments »
Sunday, August 1st, 2010
Solar hot water is now a better deal than ever thanks to the California Energy Commission (CEC). On July 28 the CEC announced an expansion of the Cash for Appliances rebate program, which offers incentives for solar water heaters. Beginning July 29, consumers who purchase a qualifying solar water heater, apply within 120 days of the purchase and properly recycle their old water heater will be eligible for a $300-$750 rebate. Consumers or contractors can submit the rebate application, with the consumer receiving the check in six to eight weeks. Rebates are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and will last until funds are exhausted.
SunWater Solar welcomes the CEC’s efforts to increase adoption of energy-efficient solar water heaters. The CEC rebate can be combined with the California Solar Initiative (CSI) Thermal rebate and the 30% federal tax credit available to home and business owners who purchase a new system. Rebates are now at their highest level, but these incentives won’t last forever. Now is the time to invest in a new solar thermal system! To learn more, click here.
Tags: California Solar Initiative Solar Thermal, CEC rebate, CEC solar hot water, CPUC, CSI-Thermal, Financing, Rebate, solar, solar hot water, solar hot water rebates, Solar Thermal, Solar Water Heating
Posted in Solar Hot Water Rebates | No Comments »
Thursday, July 15th, 2010
The SunWater Solar crew, along with thousands of exhibitors and attendees from the national and international solar industry, was in attendance this week at the Intersolar trade show in San Francisco. This event is the place to check out some of the latest and greatest products hitting the solar industry, and hear all the latest news from industry insiders.
Some of the hottest buzz at the show, however, was anything but sunny. Among the many photovoltaic (PV) industry exhibitors and attendees, there was great disappointment with the State of California’s temporary suspension last week of CSI solar incentive rebates for PV projects. The freeze halts payment of incentives to non-profit groups and public entities, such as school districts, that install PV systems.
Happily, Solar Thermal projects are unaffected by these changes and will still be eligible for CSI rebate money. At the moment, California’s entire Solar Thermal industry is waiting with baited breath for the CSI Thermal Program to release the commercial Solar Thermal rebate calculator. When these calculations are made public, commercial customers, manufacturers and installers will finally be able to see exactly how much the state will contribute to the installation cost of new commercial Solar Thermal systems.
Tags: California, California Solar Initiative Solar Thermal, CSI-Thermal, Intersolar, PV, Rebate, San Francisco, solar, solar hot water, Solar Thermal, Solar Water Heating
Posted in Solar Hot Water Rebates | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
SF Environment is having a Green Energy Fair on Saturday, June 26, from 10am-3pm at the Golden Gate Park bandshell in San Francisco. As part of the fair, they are offering bus tours of several San Francisco sites that are currently using solar water heating.
SunWater Solar is pleased that one of our solar thermal installations at a San Francisco apartment building will be featured on the tour. Please join us for the event on Saturday!
Tags: Apartment, Multifamily Housing, renewable energy, San Francisco, solar, solar hot water, Solar Thermal
Posted in Solar Water Heating | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
Web-based performance metrics illustrate quantifiable return on solar thermal investments
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – May 4, 2010 – SunReports, Inc., a provider of performance monitoring solutions for residential and commercial solar installations, in collaboration with SunWater Solar, one of the few companies in California that specializes in solar thermal technology, today announced the successful deployment of smart solar thermal systems innorthern California. SunReports’ Apollo1 provides a Web-based means of analyzing solar system performance, while SunWater Solar brings the expertise necessary to design and install a quality solar thermal system.
The Apollo1 monitors both solar thermal and solar PV systems, requires no configuration in the field and generates system performance data accessible through Internet portals. SunWater Solar assisted in the fine-tuning of the Installer Portal and was one of the first companies to field test the Apollo1, installing the devices on three Schuco commercial solar thermal systems in northern California. Solar thermal systems use the sun’s energy, rather than fossil fuels, to heat water and other fluids, significantly reducing site-generated greenhouse gas emissions and enabling long term Return on Investment (ROI) through decreased utility bills.
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Tags: Apollo1, California Solar Initiative Solar Thermal, Commercial, CSI-Thermal, Northern California, Rebate, ROI, Schuco, solar, solar hot water, Solar Thermal, Solar Water Heating, SunReports, Web
Posted in Solar Water Heating | No Comments »
Monday, May 3rd, 2010
The CSI-Thermal Program officially launched on May 1st in California. The program is currently accepting applications for residential solar water heating systems that displace natural gas or electric water heaters in the service territories of PG&E, SCE, SoCalGas, and SDG&E. The program is expected to begin accepting commercial solar hot water rebate applications on July 1st.
SunWater Solar is certified to participate in the program and as a leading solar water heating design/build company in California we are pleased the program has officially started.
Tags: AB 1470, California, California Solar Initiative Solar Thermal, CPUC, CSI-Thermal, PG&E, Rebate, SCE, SDG&E, SoCalGas, solar, solar hot water, Solar Thermal, Solar Water Heating
Posted in Solar Hot Water Rebates | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
San Francisco has officially launched the GreenFinanceSF program which allows businesses and homeowners to finance solar thermal systems through a special assessment on their property tax. The $150 million loan program is the largest PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program in the country and allows financing of solar and other energy efficiency projects with little upfront cost as the program is financed on the property tax over a number of years.
One of the requirements of the program is that buildings must have basic energy efficiency measures implemented before solar electricity projects (PV) can be funded. Solar water heating is considered one of these energy efficiency measures and can help a building reach the energy efficiency requirements needed to install PV solar for electricity.
SunWater Solar applauds the efforts of San Francisco in leading the country with its new PACE program.
Tags: California, Commercial, energy efficiency, Financing, GreenFinanceSF, PACE, Property Tax, PV, Renewable Funding, San Francisco, solar, solar hot water, Solar Thermal, Solar Water Heating, Tax District
Posted in Solar Financing | No Comments »
SunWater Solar was recently featured in 