The most cost-effective capturing of solar energy by humans today is the heating of low-temperature water. (The plant world wins the holy grail of solar energy efficiency through photosynthesis) Swimming pools just so happen to hold large volumes of low-temperature water. (70 – 90 degrees Fahrenheit) When this water is pushed through a solar pool heating panel in direct sunlight with many hundreds of small parallel tubes at the proper flow rate, the efficiency of the solar energy transfer exceeds 80%. Compare this to the best photovoltaic electricity-producing panels available today that have a functional efficiency of only 20%. That means with solar electricity panels, 80% of the solar energy striking the panel surface will not convert into electricity. Solar pool heating panels, however, function at 80% efficiency or above. It is because solar pool panels capture solar energy delivered through the infrared spectrum. That is the solar energy spectrum that you feel on your body while you are laying on the beach. So now that we know we are getting a very high solar energy transfer percentage when heating water between 70 and 90 degrees, what else might be important?
All solar panels are not alike. Some cause high back pressure which raises the amount of electricity the pump uses to push pool water through the tubes. Unfortunately, one of the most installed solar pool panels in the marketplace, Fafco, takes the most pump energy to push water through. It’s a good panel but look at this. Even though the panel has 206 active water channels in each collector, they are fed by a sub plenum chamber that only has 14 holes. Trying to push the pool water through those 14 holes causes high pressure all the way back to the pool filter compared to panels that have a single hole for each tube like the Gull Poly Pro panel. At 4 gallons per minute per 10′collector at their recommended flow rates, the Fafco panel has 4 times higher pressure drop than the Gull Poly Pro. Remember, with a variable speed pump, the lower your filter pressure gauge is, the less electricity the pump is using. That’s a fact! So during the swim season when your pump runs the longest, it makes a big difference to keep the system pressure drop as low as possible to save lots of energy. This is where our systems excel. We have saved as much as 800 watts per hour on a variable speed pump when the solar is on compared to the system we replaced. That’s $300 worth of electricity saved in 6 months running the solar just 6 hours per day. Wow!!
A variable speed pump solar pool system will use less electricity to filter water and heat your pool than any other solar contractor system in your area, especially compared to companies that install high friction panels like Fafco and Sealed Air. Our top 2 panels have the lowest pressure drop of any solar pool panels available today. Combined with smart, digital controls and specially selected solar check valves, 3 port valves, and efficient solar pipe loops, our system will save up to $300 dollars in electricity during each solar heating season compared to solar systems installed by other companies that haven’t considered how much it might cost you to circulate the solar pool heating system.
CSI-Thermal Rebate Program in Full Swing for Commercial Pool Solar
In California, the expansion of an existing incentive program means commercial pools can now take advantage of nearly $80,000,000 in rebates through the gas utilities. With a substantial reduction in upfront costs, installations of solar heaters on commercial pools are expected to increase throughout the state.
Though the U.S. Solar Industry is no stranger to incentive programs, one particular application – swimming pool solar heating – has traditionally been excluded from receiving such subsidies. Thanks to an amendment of the existing California Solar Initiative Rebate Program, multi-family residential and commercial properties are now eligible to receive a rebate for installing a solar pool heating system.
The CSI-Thermal Program is funded by the ratepayers of several major gas utilities, including PG&E, SCE, SoCal Gas and SDG&E. A total of $80,000,000 in incentive money exists for thermal technologies, which includes domestic solar water heating, solar pool heating, and solar space heating/cooling. The rebate program is tiered, and steps down once dispersed incentives cross a certain threshold.
What it boils down to is the California Solar Initiative rebate for commercial pools like HOA’s, schools, community pools, resorts, health clubs, hotels and motels will pay for 50% of the cost of a properly installed solar pool heating system in the form of a rebate check…not a tax credit.
So California now has the best commercial solar pool heating incentive ever offered in the United States of America!
The Pool Professionals’ Preferred Solar Pool Heating System
With a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty, Gull Poly Pro Solar Pool Heating Collectors carry the industry’s strongest warranty backed by the leading manufacturer of polymer solar pool heating systems.. Every warranty on every collector has been honored for more than 30 years, so your satisfaction and peace of mind are assured. You can relax, knowing your pool is being heated by the “best backed” solar pool heater in the world.
Strategically placed slots in the webbing of the Poly Pro Collectors prevent moisture buildup under the collector to preserve the life of the roof. These same slots allow pressure relief during periods of high wind, so you can expect your Poly Pro Solar Pool Heater to be working long after the storm has passed. This combination of features is unique to Poly Pro and offers all the strength and performance of a full-plate collector with the added benefits of wind load protection and moisture ventilation for your roof.
