Making most use of Solar energy?

Question

I have seen people making most use of solar water heaters in India.I wonder what is stopping us here in US do the same.I know we cannot use it in winter how about in summer.It will definitely cut the gas bills by atleast by 40%.The days we don't get sun we can always make use of natural gas.Solar cells are very inexpensive and very easy to maintain.I wonder what is stopping us from using that.

Thanks

Answer 1

Good question, it's because many in this country get into the mind set that if they can't get 100% out of something, rather than 70-80or 90%, ( and not just hot water ) than it's not worth doing; a very stupid and shortsighted concept.

Answer 2

the thing that is stopping us from doing it is because people dont think that global warming is real and/or think it costs to much money to save the planet

it does cost some money to put them in but not as much as windmills!

Answer 3

Solar collectors and solar cells are not the same thing.  One collects solar energy in the form of heat (collectors) and one uses photons to generate electricity (cells).  One is cheap(collectors) and one is expensive(cells).

Another aspect of your question is LOCATION.  India is much closer to the equator than anything in the USA and this makes solar much more effiecent everyday, all year round.  The more direct sunlight you can get the more benefit there is.

It still would be possible for people in the USA to use this type of technology though.  Even in the winter a solar collector system can be used to pre-heat your water to reduce your energy consumption.  Here is a link to company that has systems for sale.

http://www.solarroofs.com/purchase/index...

The problem is that many people do not build their own homes and replacing any heating/cooling/ or plumbing system in a home is never an easy or fun thing to do.  Many homes are built by contractors who usually try to build a home as fast and cheap as possible with as many "standard" options as possible.  These types of alternative heating/cooling and plumbing options are not standard yet and don't get put in.

My sister recently built a new home and they put in Geo-thermal heat pumps one for heating the house and one for pre-heating the water.  This does basically the same thing as the solar water collectors you mention only they use heat from the earth instead of the sun.  We live pretty far north so solar is not a good option here, but if you drill 100 ft down the earth is always warm.  They can heat a 3000 Sq Ft. home for less than $100 month and the temp is -19 F currently.  And that $100 is their entire electric bill, that's computers, TV, washer/dryers, Fridge,  Lights, the whole works!

Here is an article about geo-thermal

http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your...

Answer 4

Solar cells are NOT very inexpensive. But solar cells are not used in solar water heaters. They are only used to generate electricity. Water heaters just use flat panel collectors which are indeed cheaper than solar cells. But my hot water heating gas bill is already extremely small. A 40% savings would be about $5 a month. (Most of my gas goes to heating the house in winter and cooking because I have a gas stove and gas central heater). At $5 a month it would take way too long to pay for the water heaters in the source.