In the 1970s and 1980s, solar energy first emerged as a potentially viable and cost-effective alternative to traditional heating sources such as fuel oil, natural gas, coal, wood, and electricity. Unfortunately, these first-generation solar collectors were expensive, inefficient, and offered long payback periods and lower-than-expected returns on initial investment.

In the decades that followed, leaders in the solar energy industry went back to work, striving to create more efficient, more affordable, and more cost-effective solar water heaters that would not only be a viable alternative to traditional heating sources, but would also they could by supplanting most of our heating needs, reducing the world’s reliance on non-renewable energy sources, which cannot be replaced once they are depleted.

Today, there are three main types of solar water heaters available. These collectors are more efficient and cost effective than their predecessors, and are suitable for a number of applications, from small residential installations and swimming pool heating, to large commercial, industrial and municipal installations in the United States and around the world. These three collectors are evacuated tube solar collectors, flat plate solar collectors, and unglazed solar collectors.

Evacuated tube solar collectors: These collectors are usually the most expensive of the solar thermal collectors. The unique tube design of these collectors makes them extremely efficient at collecting and transferring heat energy to your home’s hot water. Due to their unique design, evacuated tube solar collectors, unlike flat plate collectors, are excellent for operating at high efficiency earlier and later in the day than other solar technologies, and during the winter months when the days are shorter and the sun is far away. lowest elevation in the sky. This makes evacuated tube solar collectors much more cost effective in these climates and locations.

Flat Plate Solar Collectors – These collectors are typically less expensive than evacuated tube solar collectors, but in warmer southern climates, they can be just as efficient and cost effective, if not more. Flat plate solar collectors are not particularly protected against freezing and, like a solar panel for photovoltaics, require the sun to be directly overhead at as close to a 90 angle as possible to operate with decent efficiency.

Due to these factors, flat plate solar collectors are particularly ineffective during the winter months in cold northern climates where frostbite is a problem, the days are extremely short, and the sun is at extremely low angles every day. However, in southern climates where winters are mild, days remain long, and the sun remains at a relatively high angle, due to their lower initial cost, flat plate solar collectors are one of the most popular solar heaters. most cost-effective water available.

Unglazed solar collectors: these collectors are specifically designed for solar heating of swimming pools. These collectors are effective for heating swimming pools because they are low temperature (around 120-150 F), high volume heaters. These collectors are the lowest cost of all Solar Water Heaters, often costing under $200 per collector, and are generally constructed of flexible tube like material that can simply be rolled out and mounted directly to a roof, fence, or the ground in a matter of minutes. These collectors are extremely efficient and powerful in all areas of the United States during the summer months, but are not rated for winter weather including snow, ice, and subzero temperatures. If you’re looking for an affordable way to heat your pool and extend your swimming season into the early spring and later into the fall, regardless of where you live, unglazed solar collectors may be the right choice for you.

Any one of these solar water heaters can save the average American homeowner hundreds of dollars a year and thousands of dollars over the life of the system once it is up and running. Today, home and water heating costs account for nearly 40% of our annual energy bills, and these solar water heaters can replace 65-80% of these costs with an initial investment of just a few Thousands of dollars. In fact, purchasing and installing a solar water heater often costs as much as installing a new traditional heater, but through energy savings, it will pay for itself in as little as 3-5 years.