With a lower upfront cost than solar PV (electric), solar thermal systems can provide economic returns when matched with demand on the North Olympic Peninsula

Most of us use hot water—for showers, baths, laundry, and washing dishes. Most of us use electricity to heat our do-mestic water, a process that uses only 35% of the energy in the coal or natural gas burned to produce it. A solar hot water (SHW) sys-tem can capture 60 to 70% of the available solar energy. A $7,000 solar hot water system (paid before application of the 30% federal tax credit and pos-sible utility rebate) can provide over half of a (2 person) Wash-ington household’s annual hot water and pay back in about 10 years. A $20,000 Solar PV electric system can provide all of a household’s annual hot water and pay back in over 20

years, albeit with system re-bates, tax credits, and produc-tion payments. PV captures only about 15% of the available solar energy, so direct heating of water at 60% solar energy efficiency is worth considering. Solar hot water systems tend to pay back quicker in households with larger hot water demand, as more of the solar heat is ac-tually used and, thus, less con-ventional energy is consumed. Auxiliary space heating is a potential application for (active) solar thermal systems. In smaller scale residential or commercial applications, the thermal system must incorpo-rate domestic hot water supply to obtain economic returns. Design is required to use the same collectors used in summer for heating water to then heat space during the shoulder and winter months of the year. First and foremost, passive solar techniques (i.e., the use of heat gain, thermal mass, etc.) should be used. An active system

(containing powered compo-nents) should use a storage pre-heat tank, in order to capture the most BTUs efficiently. Readers are encouraged to in-quire about these thermal en-ergy systems. Most systems are closed loop (with a propylene glycol / water heating fluid), due to the freeze hazard, though the area is home to several Drainback systems. [see page 2]

Below: Flat Plate (top) & Evacuated Tubes (bottom)

Solar Thermal Systems Development expands on the NOP

News and Announcements WHAT

NPBA Remodel & Energy Expo

Jefferson County Home Show

Jefferson County Fair

WHEN

March 2009

May 2009

August 2009

WHERE

SHS in Sequim, WA

Fairgrounds in PT

Port Townsend, WA

Olympic Energy Systems, Inc. 907 - 19th Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 (360) 301-5133

Spring 2009

Volume 9, Issue 1 Special Issue RE News

Solar Hot Water Specs

• 1 KWh = 3,413 BTUs A unit of energy, or power over time

• 85,000 BTUs/gallon Propane; 115,000 BTUs in Fuel Oil

• 3.2M BTUs per m2 per year collectable in the Pacific Northwest (average; more BTUs in summer and less in winter)

• 1 BTU: Heat 1 lb H2O 1 deg F

1 Gallon of H2O is about 8 lbs

• 6 - 10 Year Payback achievable in the Pacific Northwest

Inside this issue:

Solar Thermal Systems—Development expands on NOP

1

OES, Inc.—Who we are

2

Editorial - Evacuated Tube v. Flat Plate Collectors (A common design trade study)

2

A Short Tutorial on Solar Hot Water Systems

2

Recent Solar Thermal Project Pictures

3

North Olympic Peninsula News - Plumbing Suppliers, etc.

4

Renewable Energy

Solar Wind Micro Hydro Geothermal Biomass/fuels Efficiency

Olympic

In 1803, we expended 1 calorie of energy to produce 10 calories of food. In 2003, we (in the “developed coun-tries”) expend 10 calories of energy to produce 1 calorie of food! Would Mr. Jefferson be impressed?

Olympic Energy Systems, Inc. was founded by an electrical engineer in 2001 as a renewable energy consulting firm specializing in solar photovoltaic design. The company can assist in the appli-cation of a variety of alternative and clean energy technologies—solar, wind, micro-hydro, fuels, energy efficiency and energy management. Company goals are common to all clients:

Optimum Performance

Positive Economic Return

True Sustainability

Company operations are located in Port Townsend, Washington and primarily serve the North Olympic Peninsula and other portions of the state. Olympic Energy Systems uses local li-censed contractors for installa-tion. Fees are paid only upon successful project completion, which reduces the inherent risks of high tech solar to the clients.

The founder, Jonathan Clemens, relocated from Texas, where he was involved in renewable en-ergy activities. Serving on the board of the Texas Solar Energy Society (TxSES) proved a valu-

able experience for him. TxSES and the Texas Renewable En-ergy Industries Association (TREIA) hosts the annual Renew-able Energy Roundup and Sus-tainability Fair in Fredericksburg, TX, where Jonathan has spoken about the Economics of Renew-able Energy.

FREE Site, Cost, and Economic Assessments. Let our System Architects help you. For more information, contact:

Olympic Energy Systems, Inc. 907—19th Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 (360) 379-2536

Check Valves, Fill Valves, Tem-perature/Pressure Relief Valves, Gauges, Expansion Tank, and Differential Controller (parts needed for either safety or the optimization of performance)

Basic configurations:

ACTIVE—Direct (Open Loop), e.g. Drain Down or Recirculating

ACTIVE—Indirect (Closed Loop), uses an anti-freeze

Basic system components:

Solar Thermal Collectors (flat plate or evacuated tube)

Storage Tanks (either an added preheat tank or an existing tank)

Heat Exchanger (for direct or indi-rect transfer of heat to domestic water for consumption)

Pump (to move either the domes-tic water or a heating loop fluid)

PASSIVE—Batch (uses household water pressure)

PASSIVE—Thermo-siphoning (storage tank situated higher than collector)

Active means that (electrical) power is used to move heat. Passive means that no (electrical) power is used to move heat; heat is moved by natural means.

Tips: Provision buildings by having south facing sections, minimal distance for the heating loop, and space for tank storage.

WHO WE ARE—Olympic Energy Systems, Inc.

Jonathan with Chris Stafford, the late architect (with the Eco Building Guild)

to perform relatively better in colder temperatures and even cloudiness. Evacuated Tubes are really best applied in hot temperature ap-plications (higher than the radi-ant floor or hot water systems of residences) or where active space heating is desired. The tubes have a tendency to get hot very fast, thus overheating is a concern. A designer has to worry about stagnation (idle heating fluid), often caused from loss of power to the pumping system, as from

utility outages. Good design takes research, asking questions, knowing the technologies, knowing controls, and a willingness to step out-side of off-the-shelf thinking, as integration with home or busi-ness systems will require analy-sis for integration, efficiency, safety, and reliability. For now, we leave the (new) ET v. (old) FPC question to the designer, as it largely depends on the project. [Jonathan]

Editorial—”Evacuated Tube v. Flat Plate Collectors” The inaugural issue of Solar Professional magazine late last Fall looks at the Evacu-ated Tube v. Flat Plate Col-lector debate, even interview-ing a local system developer from Whidbey Island. It is not so much a debate, but a realization that the proper-ties of each type of collector must be matched to the use, location, and integration con-straints of the project. In general, flat plate collectors do fine in the Pacific North-west. Evacuated Tubes tend

Page 2 Volume 9, Issue 1

Website: www.olympicenergysystems.com

E-mail:

OlympicEnergy@aol.com

A Short Tutorial on Solar Hot Water Systems

See next page for snapshots of thermal projects...

Two can travel round trip cross country with a Sleeper room for about $1250—on Amtrak!

Page 3 Volume 9, Issue 1

A complete solar hot water system demonstrator by Port Townsend’s Solar Motive, a local retail and dis-tributor. Thermomax Mazdon tubes. Scene: Olympic Energy Expo 2009.

A 30 E-tube system in Sequim preheats 45 degree well water.

One of the last solar-powered pump systems of-fered by Heliodyne. Olympic Hills Lodge in Port Angeles.

The heating loop for a solar hot water system. Inte-grated main and storage tank. Heliodyne equipment (old style external HEX).

A dual flat plate collector on a solar hot water system in Bremerton. Heliodyne Gobi Flat Plate collectors.

A dual flat plate collector system in Port Angeles is part of a new home construction. A solar-powered pump moves heating fluid through

a flat plate collector. Heliodyne equipment.

A heliodrome allows analysis of lighting and shadows from sunlight in scaled models of new buildings.

A solar hot water system under construction in 2007 in Sequim.

Solar Thermal Energy

Projects

A single flat plate collector is tilted at about 60 degrees, feeding a preheat tank in a garage in Sequim.

A dual flat plate collector system heats an 80 gal-lon preheat (storage) tank on Bainbridge Island. Heliodyne equipment.

A thermoshiphoning (Trombe Wall) solar air heating system, intended to heat small SIP buildings.

OES has kept daily weather observation logs since 2002. Shown: cloudiness for the 2008 Fall Equinox plus 60 days.

E-mail: OlympicEnergy@aol.com

J OIN THE A MERICAN S OLAR E NERGY S OCIETY

WWW. ASES.ORG

Olympic Energy Systems, Inc. 907 - 19th Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 (360) 301-5133

Home Power’s 2008 Solar Thermal Collector Guide [#123 / February & March 2008] “This guide provides a compre-hensive listing of solar water heat-ing collectors certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corpora-tion (SRCC) – the recognized au-thority for certifying and rating solar thermal equipment in the United States.” “Two general types of SHW col-lectors are available today: flat-

We are on a learning curve when it comes to developing solar thermal applications on the Olympic Penin-sula. Weather, climate, existing systems, roof slope and orienta-tions are factors that are important to consider in the design of sys-tems. Due diligence is required.

GET INTO HOT WATER

The solution on the horizon

North Olympic Peninsula News Plumbing supply houses are en-couraged to stock basic compo-nents like outdoor (sun– tolerant – uv – resistant) tubing insulation (such as Aeroflex AC), outdoor rated adhesive tape, SOVs, temp gauges, pressure gauges, and air vents.

plate collectors and evacuated-tube collectors. The performance of each type depends largely on size, absorber material, absorber coating, outer cover, insulation, and frame.” Reported manufacturers: [Flat Plate Collectors] ACR Solar, AET, Conergy, Ener-Works, Inc., Genersys, Heliodyne, Marathon International, R&R Solar Supply, Radco Products,

Port Townsend in

Jefferson County in the

State of Washington

Schuco USA, Sensible Technolo-gies, Solahart Industries, Solar Development, Solar Energy, Stie-bel Eltron, SunEarth, Synergy Solar, Thermo Dynamics, and Viesmann Manuf. Co. [Evacuated Tubes] American Solar Works, Apricus Solar, Beijing Sunda Solar Energy Technology, BTF, Oventrop, So-largenix Energy, Thermo Tech. / Thermomax, and Viesmann Manuf. Co.

OES will be handing out a phone number—for a good time, call

1 800 USA RAIL