Performance and economics of residential solar space heating
The performance and economics of residential solar space heating were studied for various locations in the contiguous United States. Common types of active and passive solar heating systems were analyzed with respect to an average-size, single-family house designed to meet or exceed the thermal requirements of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Minimum Property Standards (HUD-MPS). The solar systems were evaluated in seventeen cities to provide a broad range of climatic conditions. Active systems evaluated consist of air and liquid flat plate collectors with single- and double-glazing; passive systems include Trombe wall, water wall, direct gain, and sunspace systems. The active system solar heating performance was computed using the University of Wisconsin's F-CHART computer program. The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory's Solar Load Ratio (SLR) method was employed to compute solar heating performance for the passive systems. Heating costs were computed with gas, oil, and electricity as backups and as conventional heating system fuels. Simple payback period, discounted payback period, and twenty year life cycle cost were computed for each system type, collector or glazing area, fuel, and city. The life cycle cost calculation for each system combination was made using a 2% discount rate and the Department of Energy's (DOE) suggested fuel escalation values. In addition, alternative life cycle costs were determined assuming federal and state income tax credits, financing charges, various discount rates, low and high cost extreme systems, and high fuel prices.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 6980516
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/CON-70; ON: DE83003187
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Solar-energy-system performance evaluation: Roberts Home, Reston, Virginia, February 1982-July 1982
House thermal envelope conservation optimization with respect to performance/economics
Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
ECONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
ATTACHED GREENHOUSES
AUXILIARY HEATING
DIRECT GAIN SYSTEMS
FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
HOUSES
LIFE-CYCLE COST
PAYBACK PERIOD
TROMBE WALLS
US DOE
USA
WATER WALLS
BUILDINGS
COST
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
GREENHOUSES
HEATING
HEATING SYSTEMS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPACE HEATING
US ORGANIZATIONS
WALLS
140901* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling
299001 - Energy Planning & Policy- Solar- (1989-)