Bay Area Fitness heats hot water with sun

¡°Everybody seems to be concerned with rising gas prices, but in my situation as with many people in the Northeast, heating oil consumption is much greater than gas worries," said Flanders. "In my case, I estimate that my oil usage is nine times greater than gas consumption. While a new Prius or electric car would be nice, the initial cost versus savings over the long run don't add up as well as solar hot water conversion. That's why I decided to do this project.¡±

The Solar Hot Water system is a closed-loop antifreeze system, utilizing an Apricus 90 tube collector and a 165 gallon Stiebel-Eltron storage tank. The design allows for the water storage tank to be heated by the solar collectors on the roof to provide solar heated water to the existing indirect water heater. On a good, sunny day, the system will produce a 70-degree temperature rise in the tank.

Whenever the temperature at the collector is hotter than that in the tank, a pump circulates an anti-freeze solution through the collector, resulting in the transfer of heat to the fluid. The heated fluid passes through the heat-exchanger coil in the bottom of the storage tank, resulting in the transfer of heat to the water stored in the tank.

State and federal rebates

While it is to soon to tell the full impact of savings, the system at Bay Area Fitness qualifies for a $1,250 state rebate and a federal tax credit of up to 30 percent and Flanders will be able to take advantage of accelerated depreciation over the next five years.

Installed by Energyworks

Energyworks LLC does solar installations for residential and commercial water heating systems, residential and commercial electrical systems, both grid-connected and stand-alone, and solid fuel and LP boiler systems for hydronic space- and pool- heating applications.

They are fully licensed in these areas and the licensing meets all requirements of the State of Maine for the solar rebate program. All solar hot water equipment installed is SRCC-certified and approved.

The principals of Energyworks, Bill Behrens and Patrick Coon, have been active since 1998 in the solar field in Maine. They and staff technicians have completed about 200 off-grid PV installations, 50 grid-connected PV installations, 100 solar hot water installations, 15 wind turbines and 50 high-efficiency boiler systems.

Energyworks is installing a Greenwood wood boiler in Flanders¡¯ home. A Greenwood wood furnace is a safe, cost-effective and environmentally friendly heating alternative. It is among the most-efficient wood boilers available.

¡°Having the wood boiler should nearly eliminate the need for oil at my residence,¡± said Flanders. "The self-satisfaction of reducing our 'carbon footprint' and contributing less oil money to terrorists groups targeting America¡± is his motivation to make the change to renewable energy.

For more information on state rebates and other programs available to businesses and homeowners, contact the Maine State Energy Office at 1-866-376-2463.

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