Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
(& Dollars)
by Andy Kerr
burning fossil fuels for heating. 4 Energy required to supplement solar heat.
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hot air
collectors, manufactured by AAA Solar. By plugging in loads and the solar heat produced, the projected numbers (see
latitude, the collector tilt angle, house heat loss, duct lengths, F-Chart Model Results table) have been adjusted. Rather than
furnace efficiency, and other variables, the F-Chart Solar the sun meeting 28 percent of my household heating needs, it
Systems Analysis software estimates how much sun would is more likely to meet 21 percent. Notice that this adjustment
fall on the collectors, how much energy is available during doesn’t change the amount of natural gas heat required.
the heating season, and how much supplemental heat would F-Chart factors in the efficiency of the solar heating system
be needed to achieve the desired temperature of the heated by considering losses at the collector and ducting before the
space. F-Chart also prescribes the optimal collector-mounting heat gets to the conditioned space. However, it does not factor
angle to achieve maximum efficiency. in similar losses from the natural gas heating system. I built a
financial analysis spreadsheet (see Financial table below) that
Tweaking the Model includes these losses.
Surprisingly, the model assumed the same desired house
temperatures during each and every day of the year, and The Solar Payoff
showed my house needing heat not only in the typical heating I knew what it would cost me to put in a solar heating system,
season, but also often from May through September. This but how much per year would it save on fuel bills? The annual
is because temperatures in the house can drop below 60ºF savings divided by the initial cost is the return on investment
at night, even in summer. Since heating at that time of year (ROI). My spreadsheet analysis uses a more sophisticated
would be greatly regretted later in the day, I wouldn’t have financial measure called internal rate of return (IRR), which
either the solar or natural gas heat systems “on” during those is more accurate because it considers the time value of money
months. For a more accurate reflection of household heating and cash flow.
Annual Cost
-3,946 1,779 297 317 338 360 384 409 437 466 496 529 564 602 642 684
or Savings
Cash flow -3,946 -2,167 -1,870 -1,554 -1,216 -856 -472 -62 374c 840 1,336 1,866 2,430 3,032 3,674 4,358
Year
16b 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Natural gas
$730 $778 $830 $885 $943 $1,006 $1,073 $1,144 $1,219 $1,300 $1,387 $1,478 $1,576 $1,681 $1,792
savings
Annual Cost
363 778 830 885 943 1,006 1,073 1,144 1,219 1,300 1,387 1,478 1,576 1,681 1,792
or Savings
Cash flow 4,721 5,499 6,329 7,213 8,156 9,162 10,235 11,379 12,598 13,898 15,285 16,763 18,340 20,021 21,813
a Year 1 Annual Savings figure includes a state tax credit of $1,500. The solar air system also increases the home value by $5,572. However, since the gain
would not be available until the house is sold, it is not included in this annual cash flow analysis.
b Year 16 projects a $367 system maintenance cost for a replacement blower.
c Simple payback is achieved in Year 8.
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hot air
Access
Heating Conversions Andy Kerr, Czar • The Larch Company •
andykerr@andykerr.net • www.andykerr.net
Knowing your household heating loads before you invest
in a solar heating system can help you get a grip on what Doug Boleyn, Cascade Solar Consulting LLC •
the sun can realistically offset. Utility bills are a good doug@cascadesolar.com • www.cascadesolar.com •
place to start, although they won’t give you the complete Modeling solar air heating systems
picture if you’re also using the energy for other purposes
(for instance, water heating or cooking). You also need to Home Heating Software Estimators:
know the energy content of the fuel you are using. Here
HVAC-CAC Residential 4.0 • www.hvaccalc.com
in the United States, a resource’s heating energy content
is measured in British thermal units (Btu).
F-Chart Solar Systems Analysis Software • www.fchart.com
One Btu is the amount of heat necessary to raise one Environmental Solar Systems •
pound of water at maximum density 1°F—roughly the www.environmentalsolarsystems.com • SunMate wall- or
energy produced by completely burning a wooden roof-mounted; recirculating
match. In the United States, natural gas is sold to
consumers either in therms (1 therm equals 100,000 Btu Northern Comfort Collectors • www.sunsiaray.com •
of energy content) or CCF (hundred cubic feet). All gas Sunsiaray wall- or roof-mounted; recirculating
is metered in CCF, but the energy content of natural
gas differs depending on where it comes from. Gas Your Solar Home • www.yoursolarhome.com •
from the western United States is typically 106,000 Btu
SolarSheat wall- or roof-mounted; recirculating
per CCF and is called “1060” gas. Some gas bills state
a conversion factor, from which you can deduce either
Other Resources:
the therms or CCF of gas you use. If your house uses
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency •
electric resistance space heat, each KWH provides about
3,412 Btu per hour. www.dsireusa.org
If you heat with something else, like wood or propane, Related Reading:
you’ll have to do some math and modify the downloadable “Solar Hot Air System Design,” Chuck Marken, HP98
spreadsheet (upon which the Financial table is based)
available at www.homepower.com/promisedfiles. “Solar Hot Air Systems, Part II,” Chuck Marken, HP99