Solar-hot-water-heater lease program

Technical Report · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6322632

Rutherford, S

Ten domestic hot-water solar systems were installed, leased to homeowners, and monitored for two years. All of the systems were installed as back-ups to electric water heaters. The systems consist of two to four collectors, a solar storage tank (as well as the existing non-solar heater), and a heat exchanger package. Eight are three-collector systems, one is a four-collector and one a two-collector system. The systems were sized according to family size and predicted hot water demand. The monitoring consists of a separate KW reading on the non-solar water heater, a reading of gallons of how water consumed, and hot and cold outlet temperatures. The purpose for the study was fourfold: (1) to determine the level of acceptance by the general public of solar water heaters if available on a lease rather than a purchase basis; (2) to measure the actual energy savings to the average homeowner in central Illinois with a solar water heater; (3) to measure the potential reduction of Cilco's energy production requirements, should there be widespread utilization of these systems; and (4) to determine the feasibility of an entrepreneur making these systems available on a rental basis and remaining a going concern. The results of this study indicate that the leasing of solar equipment to homeowners has a more widespread acceptance than the direct purchase of such systems. Homeowners, however, do not want to spend as much money on monthly lease payments as the supplier of the equipment would deem necessary. This seriously questions the feasibility of an entrepreneurial leasing program.

• Research Organization: Resource Alternatives, Mossville, IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-80R510213
• OSTI ID: 6322632
• Report Number(s): DOE/R5/10213-3; ON: DE83012228
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140907* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Water Heating
APPLIANCES
EQUIPMENT
HEATERS
LEASING
MONITORING
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR WATER HEATERS
WATER HEATERS