Now Available: On-Demand Webinar—Honeycomb Solar Thermal Collector

GSA, General Services Administration (External) sent this bulletin at 06/05/2018 12:00 PM EDT
ON-DEMAND WEBINAR

GPG OUTBRIEF 13

Honeycomb Solar Thermal Collector

 

If you missed our last webinar, “Honeycomb Solar Thermal Collector,” you can now access a recording of it on YouTube. You can also view the presentation slides. A schedule of upcoming webinars and links to past webinar recordings are available on the GPG Outbrief page.

Thanks to all the presenters and to participants for their excellent questions, some of which are answered below.

 


Q&A

Q: Can GPG help evaluate whether this technology will succeed in particular geographic locales or facilities? 

A: NREL has been working with GSA to conduct a nationwide renewable energy optimization screening study of GSA facilities using the REOpt tool. If solar hot water (SHW) is recommended, modeling in the Honeycomb Solar Thermal Collector (HSTC) report can help determine cost-effectiveness for different loads, locations, installed costs, and fuel costs. For more information on the screening of GSA facilities, contact Emma Elgqvist, Emma.Elgqvist@nrel.gov.


Q: Why would you choose SHW over standard photovoltaic (PV)?

A:The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act requires that SHW be considered for all new construction and major renovations, if it is life-cycle cost-effective. Although currently PV is generally more cost-effective, SHW should be considered for electric water heaters with high, consistent loads (500-gallons per weekday). In addition, because SHW and PV installations are not mutually exclusive, you can use the GSA wide REOpt study, mentioned above, to identify which locations have cost-effective economics for different renewable energy (RE) technologies.


Q: What are roof space requirements for HSTC and do the systems need to be angled towards the south to take advantage of the sun's direct sunlight?

A: The space requirements are typically one square foot of roof area for one square foot of SHW panel area. The optimal panel orientation for maximum energy collection is south in the northern hemisphere, with a tilt equal to the latitude. However, if there are practical or aesthetic reasons to be somewhat off of the "optimal" orientation, the amount of energy collected will be reduced only slightly.