Our Solar Hot Water Performance Research Project continues.

We are currently in the process of defining and re-defining our research definition.

“THIS IS A DRAFT OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT DEFINITION.”
Your input is encouraged and welcome.
See the email address at the end of this post if you have any input, questions, concerns, or improvements.

To date, we have determined two studies will be required.  The intent of the first project will be “To study the performance of commercial solar hot water systems which have been in operation for a minimum of one year and a maximum of ten years”.  Such performance data to be collected will be data from before, and data from after solar system installation; and is intended to provide us correlations between performance, economics, design features, location(s), and installation features, benefits and practices.

The second study will be focused strictly on monitored commercial solar hot water systems which incorporate detailed monitoring systems.  Those monitoring systems will provide us with near-real-time performance data.  Such data is intended to provide us with correlative insights as to what works when, how and where.  This study will focus more on design methodology, design, and performance.

For the first project, we are seeking volunteer data from five commercial segments, with a minimum of forty samplings (sites) per segment.

The five segments of focus are:

1. Hotels
2. Health clubs
3. Car washes
4. Agriculture (farm operations)
5. Hospitals

The geographical range of the study will be the continental US, Canada, and Alaska.

We are asking those who are willing to participate, to provide the following data:

• Utility bills or fuel costs for the energy sources they were using immediately prior to the installation of their solar hot water systems, and for any energy sources which were cooperating in the uses  which eventually were augmented by the solar hot water system(s).
• Utility bills or fuel costs for those same energy sources, and for any energy sources which were cooperating in the uses  which eventually were augmented by the solar hot water system(s), but this time, for the period of time SINCE the solar hot water system(s) have been in operation.
• Any unique information such as:  single anomalous weather events, or changes in utility providers; or, changes to the solar hot water system(s), ie. additions, component replacements, augmentations; location changes, etc.
• Itemization of the components in the system(s), regarding number of collectors, pumps, holding tanks, expansion tanks, any metering; as well as names of component manufacturers, model numbers, piping distance runs and diameters.
• Location of collector mounting (ex: roof, facia, ground).
• Number of people served by the system.
• Water usage by volume, and temperature at origin if available.
• A copy of any Solar Hot Water Assessments performed prior to the systems being installed.

We will be able to acquire ongoing meteorological (weather) and  other data of nature from dependable sources on a historical basis, by each location.

This study is intended to provide Win-Win-Win-Win results:

• A Win for the owner of the system(s).  They will receive actual performance information about their savings, their options, and how they can add to their efforts.
• A Win for the system designers; not just the designers of the specific systems in the study, but for many others.
• A Win for the installers of the systems so they may have the opportunity to maximize their efforts by learning what systems are working better than others, and why; as well as the possibilities of discovering yet more ways to be of service to those clients.
• A Win for the industry in that the study will provide feedback and benchmark data relevant to specific criteria and applications, which they can utilize in conjunction with past data.  Such discovery will provide new, timely, and relevant information, which may be utilized in allowing project developers, planners, architects, and engineers, those who provide the opportunity of many, many new commercial projects.  This study could provide them the knowledge and documentation which will allow them to recommend solar hot water systems to their clients, and do so with confidence.

If you are a system owner, system designer, or installer who is aware of existing systems in the aforementioned segments, and you believe they would be good candidates for participation in this first study, you can notify us via email at:  SHWStudy1@northernstatessolar.com.  If you have any related questions about the study, please feel comfortable in contacting us at that same email address, include your name and telephone number, and we will call you back, usually within twenty-four hours.

Thank you for your interest and hopefully, your participation.

Richard Carter