Electric water heaters are pretty much 100% efficient at heating water, once you get the energy to the heater. (Where else is the energy going to go?). There's also the newer electric heat pump water heater technology which actually means that electric can be actually something like 200% or 300% efficient at heating water, depending on the quality of the heat pump.
Add to that the higher efficiency and lower cost per watt of modern solar panels, and things start looking even better. In reality these systems are pretty much the same idea - take energy from the sun and use it to heat water during the day, then store it for use at night. The difference is that putting PV panels on the roof and using wires to transfer the energy tends to be easier and lower cost than plumbing glycol to the roof. -forrest On Sat, May 21, 2016 at 11:48 PM, Robert <[email protected]> wrote: > Electric water heaters have that kind of efficiency? > > On 5/21/16 10:05 PM, Forrest Christian (List Account) wrote: > > What is interesting is that electric efficiency and panel cost has reached > the point that in many cases it makes the most sense to use PV panels to > generate electricity and then use the electricity to heat the water. > > On Sat, May 21, 2016 at 3:10 PM, Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Solar domestic hot water is always a winner from an economic point of >> view. >> >> *From:* Jaime Solorza <[email protected]> >> *Sent:* Saturday, May 21, 2016 2:27 PM >> *To:* Animal Farm <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT - the sun melted my cable >> >> >> Fort Bliss and Border Patrol are going solar in a big way....I even >> thinking of making a hot water system on roof with black hoses and large 55 >> gal container for washing machine. Saw in Mother Earth long time ago....I >> do recycle my Tecates cans as well. >> On May 21, 2016 2:16 PM, "Robert Andrews" < <[email protected]> >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> But not in Nevada, where NVEnergy has gotten the PUC to basically charge >>> you for generating your own power. To the point where major casinos are >>> going to cough up millions to "Disconnect" from NVEnergy to broker their >>> own power.. Another Buffett play that is going to be in the interest of >>> the consumers... >>> >>> Yeah, and I have a bridge for sale... >>> >>> On 05/21/2016 11:27 AM, Bill Prince wrote: >>> >>>> Hmmm. Melting cables. >>>> >>>> Blinding pilots: >>>> < >>>> http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/03/super-bright-solar-power-plant-blinding-pilots-around-midday/ >>>> > >>>> <http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/03/super-bright-solar-power-plant-blinding-pilots-around-midday/> >>>> http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/03/super-bright-solar-power-plant-blinding-pilots-around-midday/ >>>> >>>> Frying birds on wing: >>>> < >>>> http://www.wsj.com/articles/ivanpah-solar-plant-may-be-forced-to-shut-down-1458170858 >>>> > >>>> <http://www.wsj.com/articles/ivanpah-solar-plant-may-be-forced-to-shut-down-1458170858> >>>> http://www.wsj.com/articles/ivanpah-solar-plant-may-be-forced-to-shut-down-1458170858 >>>> >>>> and costs only $200 per megawatt hour (20 cents per KWH). >>>> >>>> Yeah. That's a great idea. >>>> >>>> or we could put solar panels on our roofs and get energy at 6 or 7 cents >>>> per KWH. No birds, pilots, or high power cables are harmed. >>>> >>>> >>>> bp >>>> <part15sbs{at}gmail{dot}com> >>>> >>>> On 5/21/2016 9:55 AM, Ken Hohhof wrote: >>>> >>>>> >>>>> <http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/05/heat-from-misaligned-mirrors-at-solar-thermal-plant-causes-electrical-fire/> >>>>> http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/05/heat-from-misaligned-mirrors-at-solar-thermal-plant-causes-electrical-fire/ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> > > > -- > *Forrest Christian* *CEO**, PacketFlux Technologies, Inc.* > Tel: 406-449-3345 | Address: 3577 Countryside Road, Helena, MT 59602 > <[email protected]>[email protected] | <http://www.packetflux.com/> > http://www.packetflux.com > <http://www.linkedin.com/in/fwchristian> <http://facebook.com/packetflux> > <http://twitter.com/@packetflux> > > > -- *Forrest Christian* *CEO**, PacketFlux Technologies, Inc.* Tel: 406-449-3345 | Address: 3577 Countryside Road, Helena, MT 59602 [email protected] | http://www.packetflux.com <http://www.linkedin.com/in/fwchristian> <http://facebook.com/packetflux> <http://twitter.com/@packetflux>
