Comments on: The Lowdown on Solar Thermal Savings http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/ A blog about residential solar power, brought to you by CalFinder. Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:36:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Matt http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/comment-page-1/#comment-66114 Matt Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:16:40 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/#comment-66114 Thanks John, Tom and Ray. My company manufactures and distributes solar hot water systems. Real number with installation are higher than $4,500 before incentives. It is important that people are not given unrealistic numbers and expectations. Thanks John, Tom and Ray. My company manufactures and distributes solar hot water systems. Real number with installation are higher than $4,500 before incentives. It is important that people are not given unrealistic numbers and expectations.

]]> By: Ray Darby http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/comment-page-1/#comment-26656 Ray Darby Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:46:11 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/#comment-26656 John & Tom are absolutely right, and not just for pumped systems in areas prone to freeze, but for ICS systems too. My company does solar electric and thermal installations. I have worked with the CEC and CAL-SEIA on this issue of installed cost, replacement cost/frequency, etc, ad-naseaum (most manufacturers know me from managing the CEC's Solar Water Heating Collaborative in the 90's). Those "low ball" prices (like $4,500 installed) are for the cheapest of units (like the SunEarth Copperheart) installed in new multifamily or subdivision developments, not the typical existing single family home (in which case Tom's range of $7,500 to $10,000 is realistic). Quotes of lower cost do those in the installation industry a huge disservice!! John & Tom are absolutely right, and not just for pumped systems in areas prone to freeze, but for ICS systems too. My company does solar electric and thermal installations. I have worked with the CEC and CAL-SEIA on this issue of installed cost, replacement cost/frequency, etc, ad-naseaum (most manufacturers know me from managing the CEC’s Solar Water Heating Collaborative in the 90′s).

Those “low ball” prices (like $4,500 installed) are for the cheapest of units (like the SunEarth Copperheart) installed in new multifamily or subdivision developments, not the typical existing single family home (in which case Tom’s range of $7,500 to $10,000 is realistic).

Quotes of lower cost do those in the installation industry a huge disservice!!

]]> By: Retrofit a Solar Hot Water System | Eco Friendly Mag http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/comment-page-1/#comment-10379 Retrofit a Solar Hot Water System | Eco Friendly Mag Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:06:40 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/#comment-10379 [...] solar hot water heaters are the most cost-effective, learn more, way to utilize solar power in today’s market. By retrofitting, much of the labor and [...] [...] solar hot water heaters are the most cost-effective, learn more, way to utilize solar power in today’s market. By retrofitting, much of the labor and [...]

]]> By: Dan http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/comment-page-1/#comment-6078 Dan Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:30:39 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/#comment-6078 Tom, While I don't intend to lowball anyone, it's true that we tend to focus on price ranges which are applicable to sunnier climates. Therefore your information is much appreciated. Nonetheless the tax credits and other incentives still stand, even if the numbers are higher. And for homeowners in areas with long bouts of freezing temperatures, perhaps geothermal heat pumps would be a better use of renewable energy--a technology which the federal renewable energy tax credits now include. Thanks again for writing in! Tom,

While I don’t intend to lowball anyone, it’s true that we tend to focus on price ranges which are applicable to sunnier climates. Therefore your information is much appreciated. Nonetheless the tax credits and other incentives still stand, even if the numbers are higher. And for homeowners in areas with long bouts of freezing temperatures, perhaps geothermal heat pumps would be a better use of renewable energy–a technology which the federal renewable energy tax credits now include.
Thanks again for writing in!

]]> By: Tom Scheel http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/comment-page-1/#comment-6051 Tom Scheel Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:56:34 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/#comment-6051 Yeah that $4,500 number gets old. You might be able to do that in climates where it doesn't freeze (ie the South, Phoenix, AZ, parts of CA). But once you start to deal with freezing conditions you are up to $7,500, and to install a system that will actually meet the load of a family of four you are looking at closer to $10,000. I do this for a living and those are actual prices. Folks who continue to use the lowball figures help to keep solar thermal down because customers get the idea that $4,500 is fair, but no one will do the work for that price because they would lose money. But the customer feels cheated. Maybe it helps to realize that the parts alone for the smallest system cost over $4,000? Yeah that $4,500 number gets old. You might be able to do that in climates where it doesn’t freeze (ie the South, Phoenix, AZ, parts of CA). But once you start to deal with freezing conditions you are up to $7,500, and to install a system that will actually meet the load of a family of four you are looking at closer to $10,000. I do this for a living and those are actual prices.

Folks who continue to use the lowball figures help to keep solar thermal down because customers get the idea that $4,500 is fair, but no one will do the work for that price because they would lose money. But the customer feels cheated.

Maybe it helps to realize that the parts alone for the smallest system cost over $4,000?

]]> By: Dan http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/comment-page-1/#comment-518 Dan Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:45:09 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/#comment-518 I've seen numbers similar to those that I gave in various places. If you click on the two links embedded in the article itself, one of them from the US Department of Energy, you will find a few examples. There are many variables that factor into the cost of a solar energy system. But I think you may be confusing solar electric prices with that of solar thermal. Solar thermal hot water systems are considerably cheaper than solar electric systems, which can reach over $30,000 depending on the size of the system. Compared to conventional systems, solar thermal itself is expensive, but the payback can be very fast which is why it is such a cost effective way to go solar. I’ve seen numbers similar to those that I gave in various places. If you click on the two links embedded in the article itself, one of them from the US Department of Energy, you will find a few examples. There are many variables that factor into the cost of a solar energy system. But I think you may be confusing solar electric prices with that of solar thermal. Solar thermal hot water systems are considerably cheaper than solar electric systems, which can reach over $30,000 depending on the size of the system. Compared to conventional systems, solar thermal itself is expensive, but the payback can be very fast which is why it is such a cost effective way to go solar.

]]> By: John Del Vecchio http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/comment-page-1/#comment-513 John Del Vecchio Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:13:40 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-information/the-lowdown-on-solar-thermal-savings/#comment-513 Where on earth did you get your numbers on the pricing for solar equipment and installation ( $2000.00 to $4500.)? That is absolutely absurd !Please do a little more research before you put your fingers on a keyboard. Where on earth did you get your numbers on the pricing for solar equipment and installation ( $2000.00 to $4500.)? That is absolutely absurd !Please do a little more research before you put your fingers on a keyboard.

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