It is now possible to heat the water of the house by using solar energy. To facilitate these changes and to save substantially on energy bills, the Energy Efficiency Agency of Quebec has launched a pilot-project which will allow the acquisition of domestic solar-powered heaters.
The president director-general of the Agency, Luce Asselin, has declared: “Thanks to this pilot-project, the use of solar energy becomes a reality for Québécois families. We take one more step to increase the use of this form of clean and renewable energy. Consequently, we continue to make energy efficiency a priority in Quebec. ”
How does a domestic solar-powered heater function? The Agency explains: “A domestic solar-powered heater is a thermal system which uses the energy of the sun to heat water in a house. Solar power collectors are generally installed on a roof, directed towards the south. They can also be installed on a wall or simply on a tripod planted in the soil. They absorb the energy of the sun-rays and convert it into heat. ”
“A thermal solar-powered heater does not produce electricity. It is a system which collects solar energy, and then transmits it in the form of heat to a fluid called heat-carrying fluid. Thanks to solar energy, domestic water is subject to pre-heating in the storage tank before being transferred to the existing adjacent water-heater. It is thus not cold water which supplies the traditional water-heater, but the hot water from the solar storage tank! The traditional water-heater intervenes like a system of auxiliary heating to supplement, if need be, the heating of the water up to the temperature of use (60 degrees C). ”
The system generally includes one or more solar collectors (commonly called solar panels); a storage tank of hot water; a heat exchanger, and insulated piping.
The heating of water accounts for approximately 16% of the energy expenditure in a house, that is to say on average 320 $ per year. Which is substantial. The pilot-project directs itself to the owners of a residence or a small building with residences (three storeys and less without common entry) located in Quebec.
The pilot-project which extends until the end of 2010 should make it possible for 600 Québécois families to profit from major financial assistance in the purchase and with the installation of a new domestic solar-powered heater. This system requires an investment which can be from 4.600 $ to 8.500 $. Investment costs can vary according to the characteristics of the house, the number of occupants, the system chosen, the contractor, etc…
The financial assistance envisaged is 2.700 $ for a water-heater with one [solar] captor; 3.750 $ for a water-heater with two captors; and 4.250 $ for a water-heater with three captors.
Citizens interested in taking part in the pilot-project can communicate with