In a previous article we discussed high energy costs, and an analogy was drawn to "holes in the bucket." Do you plug holes in your bucket, or do you get more water? Some say "bring more water," others say "fix the leaks." This article is about fixing a leak.
Big leak: Water heating. According to the V.I. Energy Office (VIEO), water heating accounts for 35 to 40 percent of a home's energy use. While some might say this figure is too high, let's assume it's 25 percent, just for fun. Meaning if you eliminated electric water heating, your bill would go down 25 percent! Monthly bills: $400, reduced $100 a month, or $1,200 a year. That's a big leak!
How can that cost be eliminated? Solar hot water. The Caribbean is blessed with abundant sunshine. Coupled with the fact that it never freezes here, and we find that systems designed to be cost-effective elsewhere really shine in the Virgin Islands. VIEO rebates, along with federal tax incentives, make solar water-heating costs extremely low. How low? While every installation will be different, approved solar hot-water systems can be installed for about $2,000 after incentives, on average, or as low as $600 for smaller systems.
Anyone who has picked up a hose that has been lying in the sun has experienced solar hot water. It's a plumbing thing. And like all plumbing, it's very straightforward. For those with a little construction experience, a few basic tools and the willingness to learn, affordable do-it-yourself kits are available.
No single design will work for everyone. The VIEO has an excellent download on its website, discussing system types, along with easy-to-understand explanations of how they work. Some designs will have the storage tank on the roof, for example, while others can be flat mounted invisibly, and a large storage tank placed a long distance away … perhaps under the home or in a central utility closet. Some designs can be color matched to your roof, and appear more like a skylight. Other exotic designs, such as evacuated tubes, will generate very hot water under cloudy skies or even during the rain! Each design has advantages and disadvantages that include cost, aesthetics, ease of mounting, storage capacity and high wind rating.
Read the VIEO brochure, talk to friends who may know something about it, and call a few professionals to get their opinion. A list of certified vendors is available from the VIEO. You will quickly find that those knowledgeable will be eager to share their experience with you. Once you've experienced the joy of abundant, free hot water for bathing, clothes washing and dishes, you become an advocate. Not only does solar hot water save money, but by reducing the electric load it eliminates CO2 emissions.
Businesses save even more. Restaurants, hotels, villas, health-care facilities, laundries and any commercial user with steady hot water needs will be more profitable by letting the sun heat water. As an investment, solar hot water outperforms stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate by far.
Editor's note: Tony Woicekowski has been pushing electrons efficiently since 1988. He pigeonholes himself as "a closet nerd with a sense of flair." A former board member of the Northern California Solar Energy Association, he has created many pieces of solar-powered kinetic sculpture, and designed and manufactured the SunDancer, a solar-powered novelty item sold in retail and catalog outlets throughout the United States. Woicekowski and his family live on St. Thomas, where he serves as general manager for Sapphire International, a construction firm.
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