[at-l] OT Outdoor Furnaces was Geo-Exchange -OT

[RoksnRoots at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/1/2007 3:55:33 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
ellen at clinic.net writes:
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One can increase the percentage of solar energy by a few percentage points by 
installing storage in the form of rock beds, concrete or tanks of water, but 
I don't find that to be worthwhile, given the cost, and the clogging of 
valuable living space with storage devices.
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       Specifically though, the Maine solar house on the net got 115* in its 
rooftop solar water heater an hour or so after sunrise on a 13* morning in 
February. My point was that the geo-exchange subterranean piping system could be 
shortcut through the rooftop water heaters during sunlight hours to take 
advantage of this extreme heat source. If the geo-exchange system was powered by 
solar PV panels during this phase the efficiency during this phase would be huge 
as far as home heating efficiencies. You might even divert some hot water to 
the basement tank as well, stretching this non-fuel-burning heat into 
non-sunlight hours.

         The Times had a solar power article yesterday (January 4th) showing 
some examples of private systems and their total cost under the new California 
state solar act. Rebates of about 30% were average with systems paying for 
themselves after about 12 years. One man's $350,000 system (huge, 45 kilowatts - 
about 9 times average) should produce 2 million dollars in power over its 30 
year lifespan. It was about $245,000 after rebate.  

       Interestingly, the article says New York systems can produce as much 
as 90% of Californian systems.







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