How would Solar Hot Water Work for my Business?

Click the photo for a series of photographs and descriptions of some of our most recent commercial projects.

Not only will Solar Hot Water systems provide energy cost reductions  – with short paybacks, the benefits to your corporate image can be immeasurable.  Customers, employees, vendors, and local authorities frequently convey that they want to support sustainable business models.  Using solar will build your brand!

Ideally, solar water heating systems are designed and sized to achieve a solar fraction of 70%, meaning the sun would provide approximately 70% of the annual water heating energy. The backup system provides the rest. However, smaller systems are often installed if there is a limited budget or limited solar exposure. The important thing to remember is that whether a system is big or small, every unit of renewable energy captured from the sun, is one unit of traditional energy that will not be purchased and will not be consumed.

Solar Energy Services will evaluate your individual application and provide the best design based upon your operation, budget, solar resources, and the goals of your solar project.

Solar Water Heating has many tremendous commercial applications:

• Health Clubs / Gymnasiums
• Apartment Buildings
• Hospitals
• Hotels/Dormitories
• Restaurants
• Car Washes
• Laundromats
• Pools/Spas
• Processing Industries

Financing a commercial system is easier than you may think. There are tremendous government incentives (hyperlink to our module?) to help offset the capital cost. Additionally, there are third party financing models that can be very attractive, allowing for positive cash flow on the renewable energy investment in the first month. Ask us about our partners who provide project financing. SES also provides assistance with grant applications for state rebates.

Click on any of the photos for a larger shot of our commercial solar hot water system installations.

While commercial solar water heating is a great investment for some buildings, it is not a good investment for buildings without a regular hot water demand, nor those with only a small hot water demand. For example, office buildings are rarely good candidates for solar water heating but are often good candidates for solar electric (photovoltaic) (hyperlink to the commercial PV page).

Solar Water Heating can be incorporated into new construction at a lower cost than retrofitting, but retrofits are very common and cost effective. If a building has a central hot water supply and solar exposure, it is often very cost effective to introduce solar to preheat the existing water heater – be it gas, electric, propane, oil, or other.

Including Solar Hot Water systems in new construction is not only more cost effective, it will soon be expected from buyers of homes and the appropriate commercial buildings.

Solar Energy Solutions can provide design build services for thermal systems or we can partner with your preferred mechanical contractor to install the system together.

For more examples of Solar Thermal Commercial Applications visit the Department of Energy