I am in favor of questions regarding solar thermal - especially solar hot water. Solar hot water is especially effective for anyone who uses coal or LP gas to get electricity for heating hot heater. A solar water heater emissions reduction is equivalent to a car that goes 40,000 miles a year if the electricity comes a coal or oil fired generator. Most solar hot water systems will save 350 to 650 dollars a year when utility power cost is at $.10 kW or LP gas at $1.60 per gallon.

I spent most of the seventies and early eighties training people all over the United States in installing closed loop antifreeze and drain back systems for several manufacturers. Less than 1% of the wrenches who made a good living contracting solar water heating during the Jimmy Carter era of tax credits are still around to share their experiences. Over 95% went out of business the first six months after Ronald "Raygun" blasted the 40% federal tax credit in 1986. At the same time, oil fell from $35 a barrel to $12. The Florida Solar Energy Industry Association and the Florida Solar Energy Center have tried to put together the lessons learned from the eighties. There needs to be a training seminar to educate solar electric wrenches about the basics of solar hot water heating. I’ve compiled a basic list of lessons learned from that era. Send me a large self addressed stamped envelope for $1.44 and I will mail you the basics of mistake free solar hot water.

Solar hot water systems have the greatest potential in the United States for meeting the emissions reduction of the Kyoto Conference.