The solar hot water system for Bow-based homeowners Gail and Leon Kenison allows them to use their oil boiler for backup only, with a wood stove for primary heating.

We had a chance to speak with Gail Kenison, a homeowner in Bow, New Hampshire who recently had us install a cost-effective solar hot water system that will essentially keep the boiler off from May to October.

Gail and her husband, Leon, had already cut down oil use in their home dramatically by choosing to heat primarily with wood. In the winter, their oil boiler still served as a source for hot water and backup space heat. But with their boiler running throughout the summer for the sole purpose of heating water, they decided to take the next step and invest in solar hot water.

“We’ve tried to stay in tune with all the renewable energy options, and had wanted to do something for a while,” Gail says, “We learned about solar at a continuing education class, and discovered that solar thermal presented a great solution for our home.”

Solar Hot Water Works

The Kenisons had ReVision Energy install two American-made Chromagen 4×8 flat plate solar hot water collectors and an 80G super insulated dual-coil solar storage tank. Whenever the rooftop collector temperature is hotter than the water at the bottom of the 80-gallon storage tank, a differential temperature controller automatically activates the solar circulating pump, which pumps solar-heated propylene glycol (a sugar water antifreeze solution) down from the collectors and through the bottom heat exchange coil in the tank, thereby transferring the heat from the sun to the water in the tank. The system includes automatic hot water backup from the oil boiler for those times of year when the solar resource is not strong enough to meet 100% of domestic hot water demand.

“The experience has been great so far,” Gail says, “The install team was knowledgeable, very professional, and clearly took the time to do the job right. They made us feel very comfortable with their work and took the extra time to help us understand the system. We couldn’t be more pleased.”

Even as the Kenison’s solar thermal system enters the heating season, it should produce up to half of their household’s hot water. Since they’ll be heating primarily with wood, that means their boiler will only need to run as a backup for both heat and hot water – creating some substantial fuel savings and CO2 reductions!

Our Solar Road Tour takes us a little further up the coast, where we visit The Highlands in Topsham, a unique retirement community with a strong environmental commitment.

In 2007 The Highlands installed what was Maine’s largest solar hot water system at the time, a 540 evacuated tube system expected to pay for itself in 6 years due to its dramatic reduction in fossil fuel use. The Highlands expanded this year with 24 flat plate solar hot water collectors on their Maine Lodge.

For The Highlands, solar hot water is a win-win: the collectors save their business thousands of dollars a year in fuel costs, while helping to preserve the memorable local environment that appeals to their residents. In this video, we talk to Highlands Sales Consultant, Don Wessels, as he tells us a bit about the system, its value to Highlands, and their commitment to sustainability.

In the second half, we check out a sizzling 48 flat plate solar hot water array on top of Bowdoin’s Thorne Dining Hall… you can see system performance for Thorne (as well as many other campus buildings) online!

Miss Solar Road Tour Episodes?

We’ve had a lot of fun touring Maine and New Hampshire on our journey. Prior videos on our blog:

• Episode 4: SMCC’s Alternative Energy Education Program and Scratch Baking Company
• Episode 3: Paul Ledman’s High Performance Apartments at 62 Cumberland Ave, Portland
• Episode 2: Melissa Coleman on Cranberry Ridge, Freeport Library
• Episode 1: Gritty’s and LL Bean sport solar hot water in Freeport, Maine

More Photos from Our Commercial Solar Photo Gallery:

Brett Humble, Project Officer, US Dept of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Bill Gabler, ARRA Project Manager, Joanne Morin, Director of the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning, Dr. Scott Kalicki, President of LRCC., Phil Coupe, co-founder, ReVision Energy, Scott Osgood, Director of Capital Planning at Community College System of New Hampshire gathered to a cut a power cord at LRCC’s new dual-axis tracking solar array.

Sun greeted a crowd of 10-20 attendees at Lake Region Community College‘s (LRCC) ribbon cutting ceremony for their new 3.7kw dual-axis tracker installed by ReVision Energy using equipment from Vermont-based AllEarth Renewables.

The event was MC’ed by LRCC President Dr. Scott Kalicki, and featured words from ReVision Energy co-founder Phil Coupe and Joanne Morin, Director of the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning.

The tracker moved right on cue as Phil took stage! His brief speech touched on the importance of solar in the transition to a renewable energy economy, energy independence, and the growth of green jobs:

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After the ceremony, attending guests asked questions to ReVision Staff and were taken on a tour by ReVision’s Fred Greenhalgh to see the 12.4kw rooftop solar photovoltaic array as well as the 43″ data monitoring display in the college lobby.

Thanks again to LRCC for hosting the event, and for great support from Bill Gabler, ARRA Project Manager, and Laura Richardson, ARRA Coordinator for SEP.

More Photos from Our Solar Events Gallery:

In today’s investment environment the choice seems mainly between the uncertainty of the stock market or the unimpressive returns of safer investments such as savings accounts, CDs, and annuities. We make an alternate suggestion: consider an investment in solar.

We had occasion to compare the relative returns of investing in an annuity product vs. a solar electric system. While the two don’t seem much alike on the surface, they both have in common a significant capital outlay in exchange for a monthly dividend.

An annuity works by offering you a monthly payment for a fixed period of time based on a pre-determined interest rate, about 3.8% right now. A solar electric system also requires an up-front investment (unless you opt for financing), and offers a monthly “payment,” so to speak, in the form of reduced utility bills for the life of the system.

Like an annuity, the benefits of a solar electric system are realized over time; for economic models we usually use 25 years, the warranteed life of the panels (though the system is expected to remain operational 40-50 years). However, solar has the benefit that the “dividend” – your utility bill savings – actually increases over time as electric prices rise, unlike an annuity payment which is fixed.

Consider a married couple who are both 60 and in reasonable health and live in Maine. With $15,000 they can:

• Install a 5kW PV system which will provide roughly a $85 monthly benefit each month, which increases as electricity prices rise.
• Buy a joint lifetime annuity which will pay the couple $75 a month, which stays the same forever, not rising with inflation.

Given the choice, a lower electric bill looks like a much better investment for the next 25 years!

The Case in New Hampshire

In NH, even without the $2,000 state rebate, a solar investment still beats the annuity. In this case it’s more fair to compare a $17,000 solar investment to a $17,000 annuity. At that rate, the annuity will earn $85/month, which is pretty close to the solar in year 1. However, over the 25 years the solar becomes more valuable as the cost of electricity increases (averaging 4% a year right now) whereas the annuity stays the same. And, of course, you’re generating clean electricity the whole time rather than investing in a financial instrument.

The solar earns more, helps the environment, and takes strain off the grid. Who can’t feel good about growing with that?

Farming and gardening is, of course, the original use of solar power, but the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association (MOFGA) went the next step and installed the 21st century evolution: an 11.7kw solar photovoltaic array. This grid-tied system has no moving parts, no batteries, just fifty-two Solon Blue 225 watt panels tied to two inverters that will convert sunshine into electricity for the next several decades.

This 21st century system marks the latest step in the restoration of a 200 year old barn – a true symbol of old tradition meets new technology! This unique and highly visible project was a great opportunity for some video coverage, and in this 7-minute feature we hear from Vernon LeCount from MOFGA and John Luft from ReVision Energy’s Liberty office about the installation and MOFGA’s long-term ambitions about renewable energy.

MOFGA provides year-round services to organic farmers and gardeners, but they may be best known for their big upcoming event: the Common Ground Fair to be held this September 23-25. The fair is the premiere celebration of rural traditions and sustainable living and attracts over 60,000 people each year.

We’ll be there the whole weekend with staff from all three branches. Be sure to keep an eye out for the new PV system as you approach the south parking lot, and talk to us about any questions you’ve ever had about solar, energy efficiency, and green building.

Thanks again, MOFGA, for making a big commitment to sustainable energy, and to Darryl Czuchra Production Services, who went above and beyond in the creation of this video.

More Photos in Our Commercial Solar Photo Gallery:

Thought you couldn’t build an apartment building in Maine without depending on fossil fuels? Think again! Paul Ledman proves with his new 3-unit dwelling in Portland that exceptional insulation and smart mechanical systems can work to make a home that requires no source of energy other than the sun… even in Maine! Even with tenants!

We’re proud to have this exceptional building in our backyard and thank Paul for taking the time to talk to us about this exciting project.

SMCC’s SEA Director John Brautigam standing before a suite of solar energy systems recently installed by ReVision Energy.

ReVision recently wrapped installation of a suite of solar systems at Southern Maine Community College’s Sustainable Energy Alternatives (SEA) Center.

The SEA Center is a major part of SMCC’s efforts to become a regional center for education and training on renewable energy and sustainable building practices. The building is equipped with cutting-edge professional equipment and state-of-the-art educational tools designed to help students understand theories of building science including air infiltration, insulation issues, and thermal properties of building materials to help equip them for a career in energy efficiency and/or renewable energy.

To showcase the variety of solar energy installations likely to be encountered, SMCC had ReVision install two solar hot water systems, one with evacuated tubes and the other with flat plate collectors, as well as a modest photovoltaic (solar electric) array. All of the “guts” of the system – pipe run, tank, wiring, etc. – is on display and labeled so students can understand how it works and observe it in practice. The systems also feature robust web-based data monitoring options that will be viewable by both students and the public.

ReVision has had the pleasure of working with an SMCC Electric Engineering student, Melanie Janarelli, as an intern this summer, who helped install the system. Director John Brautigam is featured in one of our upcoming Solar Road Tour episodes, so stay tuned!

More Photos:

The VillageSoup writes about several new solar energy systems installed by ReVision Energy in the Unity area, including the MOFGA fairgrounds, Unity College, and a private home.

ReVision recently completed work on a Unity residential project, is working on a project with Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s “Red Barn” in Unity, and a hot water system at Unity College’s new dormitory, Terrahaus.

In addition to promoting renewable energy and encouraging the transition away from fossil fuels, the projects are especially relevant for the ReVision Energy team at its Liberty office, as six of the 11 employees are graduates of Unity College.

“This technology is something we are all passionate about,” said John Luft, general manager of ReVision Energy’s Liberty location, in a press release. “Being a graduate of Unity College, it takes on a special significance to be working in this industry because Unity places such an emphasis on becoming more and more environmentally friendly. Plus, working ‘close to home’ is special in its own kind of way.”

Unity College’s Terrahaus project will be the first American college residence with many environmentally-friendly features that will allow it to meet the Passive House standard. Among those features will be solar hot water.

More information and full article at Village Soup website.