Solar Hybrid Systems Save $$$ on Space Heat

Hybrids are not just for cars anymore but in fact span many Green systems in our modern world. That’s because the power of two things combined is greater than that of one. But we don’t often think of our homes or buildings as a place for hybrids. Well think again.

In an effort to solver the problem of the future – sure increases in natural gas costs – new technology in heating systems replaces gas forced-air with hydronic hybrid heat. While it is true that new high-efficiency furnaces provide heat at a much higher efficiency level than furnaces of old, they don’t solve the problem of natural gas use. A gas forced air furnace whether new or old, is, was and will always be fired by gas. So while these new furnaces help solve an immediate problem, they don’t allow the average home owner to take advantage of the new frontier of heating that is Solar Thermal (hot water).

Hot water hybrid systems are the only kind of thermal systems that can take advantage of solar thermal integration. In a new retrofit application for homes, gas forced air heat can easily be converted to a hot water coil system by using a tankless water heater to create both domestic hot water and space heat. This creates a thermal system which sets up homeowners for even more energy independence by allowing the home to be heated by solar thermal energy.

Household thermal systems are best backed by a tankless water heater which remains idle when no hot water is being used, so there is no energy wasted for the standby losses of an electric water tank and when there is no demand. So the solar tank can be heated for free, and the tankless just serves to take up the slack when the sun isn’t doing its job, or first thing in the morning when the solar tank is cooled down and you want a long hot shower. The reality is that, even when the solar tank is below 100 degrees it will still contribute to energy efficiency, because the tankless will only use the energy needed to finish the job. Tankless water heaters will produce more flow and run more efficiently when they have warmer water introduced to them, maximizing the year round potential of solar hot water.

If we continue to install conventional furnaces in our homes, we will always be stuck with a system that is difficult to augment with alternative energy sources. So the first step is to convert that gas forced-air furnace into something that will allow for new technology as it becomes affordable. That starts with a hot water hybrid heating system at home, and supplementing commercial boiler systems with solar thermal panels.