A Look at Solar Heating Tubes as Clean Energy

April 26, 2010
By Craig Axelrod

When most people think of green or clean energy they envision rows of solar panels lined up on a rooftop, or a gently spinning turbine harvesting electricity from simple air flow. While these are accurate views of how alternative methods can be used to create energy, it leaves out one of the most efficient and applicable of all systems - the solar heating tubes used to make hot water supplies.

The technologies behind this form of clean energy are already so far advanced as to have industrial and commercial applications as well as domestic ones. Millions of individual homes and apartment buildings rely on such systems to dramatically reduce the energy costs for hot water creation. In fact, the nation of China is leading the way with this particular energy, and it is estimated that a whopping thirty million households (whether apartments or homes) receive from 60 to 70 percent of their heated water through solar heating tubes and systems.

Why 60-70% and not all of their hot water? This is really the only "glitch" with clean energy produced by the sun and comes about because of the patterns of nature. Remember, the sun rises and sets each and every day. This means that the solar heating tubes are only able to operate during peak hours of radiation, generally from around 9 AM to 4 or 5 PM. Once the sun sets it is as if someone shut off the traditional heater. There are large storage tanks that the systems use, and these can remain hot for many hours after the sun has set. This is the reason that most alternative energy experts put optimal energy savings at the sixty percent threshold.

What does that really mean to the building owner or landlord? Generally, it will mean that they will still have to pay a set amount to their utility or fuel provider in order to sustain a constant supply of heated water, but it takes a bit more explaining to understand the broader financial implications.

Consider that most solar heating systems will have purchasing and installation fees. These can be substantial, and most property owners will use equity in the building to put their purchase on a payment plan, such as using a second mortgage or business loan to cover costs. The system is going to begin operating as soon as it is installed, which means that energy bills are going to drop steeply right from the start. This drop in energy bills creates financial savings that can be directed towards the repayment on the loan for installation. Here's where things get really interesting, because most systems can be repaid in a period of two to five years. After that, the financial savings go straight into the pocket of the owner, and the hot water is then paid for at that incredibly lower cost.

In addition to the financial savings and short "payback" period for the equipment, there is also a wide array of tax benefits to be enjoyed through such an investment, and these too can help to pay off any debt on the equipment quickly and efficiently.