American Solar Energy Society
- USA: High Subsidy Level and Slow Motion in California-
Demand for subsidised solar water heater is very different in Europe and the USA. A comparison between California and the Czech Republic shows that the growth potential is much higher in European countries. The number of applications submitted to the national subsidy programme has been 100 times as much in the Eastern European country as in the US state. The photo shows a commercial solar water heater on a multi-family apartment community in Huntington Beach, California, installed by California Solar Thermal, Inc. The 24-panel-installation was subsidised by both California Solar Initiative (CSI) - Thermal Program as well as the Federal Treasury Grant (30%) and reached a payback time of two years.
Photo: California Solar Thermal - Field Monitoring of Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems Based on Simple Tank Temperature (1995)-
This report was a joint effort from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, prepared for the American Solar Energy Society at the Solar 1995 Conference. This report has equations to use to calculate solar loop gain and tank losses. Analysis is based upon the tank energy balance – identifying solar gain during the day and tank losses at night. These gains and losses can be compared to expectations based upon prior knowledge and estimated weather conditions.
- Wisconsin Solar Tour -
The Wisconsin Solar Tour is an annual event that allows you to tour sites that display solar electric, wind electric, solar domestic hot water, solar space heating, passive solar design, geothermal, and other renewable energy technology.
The sites are lived in and operated by ordinary people of Wisconsin and is part of the National Solar Tour, coordinated by the American Solar Energy Society.
