Solar Hot Water, also called Solar Thermal, is the most financially viable renewable energy available in Maine today. The concept behind solar hot water is to preheat, or heat entirely water for domestic hot water. The average two person household uses in excess of 250 gallons of oil a year for domestic hot water alone. 250+ gallons just for showers, dishes and laundry! Luckily, today’s evacuated tube solar technology makes solar thermal viable option that every Mainer should consider. Evolo’s solar thermal systems are designed to offset 90%+ of the energy used for domestic hot water. This type of system can also work with radiant in floor heat or for pool heating! Essentially, the system uses solar energy to preheat water. A solar thermal system works in conjunction with you existing hot water system, whether its electric, oil, propane, or on demand. Click here to see a schematic of how a typical system works.
Evolo Energy Solutions recommends the evacuated tube design for our Maine climate. Think of an evacuated tube like a double pane window. Two panes of glass with an air vacuum drawn in between means there is little to no heat loss in the winter. Translation, on a sunny 15 degree February day, wind howling, an evacuated tube solar collector is still capturing lots of solar energy/heat. Conventional flat plate collectors are much less efficient on cold winter days, right when we need solar energy the most! Solar thermal is ideal for every household, and for any business that use hot water: laundry mats, car washes, doctor offices, gyms, restaurants, hair salons, pet groomers, the list goes on!
Evolo Energy Solutions installs EOS (located in Rockland Maine) Solar Collectors and Apricus solar collectors. When sizing a solar thermal system for domestic hotwater, the rule of thumb is 10 tubes per person in the house hold. Some customers choose to upsize by 10 tubes just to gain more energy in the shorter months. Solar collector racks come in 10, 20 and 30 tube configurations and can be combined in series for larger projects. Click here for more information on EOS collectors 20 or 30 tube or Click Here for more information on Apricus 20 or 30.
A typical installation or a solar thermal system for domestic hot water ranges between $9-$10k for a 2-3 person household (before tax credits or rebates).
Tax Credit & Rebate:
A 30% federal tax credit is available here. Additionally, you may qualify for a State rebate.
Contact Evolo Energy Solutions for more information.
