Reducing Fossil Fuel Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions with Solar Water Heating

Reducing Fossil Fuel Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions with Solar Water Heating

Course Outline

This (Two-hour) course will serve as an informative guide specifically reviewing the technical potential of solar water heating (SWH) to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Use of solar water heating (SWH) in the United States grew significantly in the late 1970s and early 1980s, as a result of increasing energy prices and generous tax credits. Since 1985, however, expiration of federal tax credits and decreased energy prices have virtually eliminated the U.S. market for SWH.

More recently, increases in energy prices, concerns regarding emissions of greenhouse gases, and improvements in SWH systems have created new interest in the potential of this technology.

This course is based entirely on “The Technical Potential of Solar Water Heating to Reduce Fossil Fuel Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States” from The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Technical Report NREL/TP-640-41157, dated March 2007.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.

Learning Objective

This course will specifically review and provide an understanding of the technical potential of Solar Water Heating to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Review of the Energy Information Administration’s Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS);
Solar Water Heating System Performance;
Simulated Solar Fraction Using a “Base” (Current Technology) Residential SWH System;
Regional Rooftop Availability;
Regional End-Use Energy Savings Potential of SWH;
Technical Potential of SWH to Reduce Primary Energy Consumption Considering Sources of Electric Water Heating; and
CO₂ Emissions Reduction Potential.

Intended Audience

This course would be very informative for Architects or Professional Engineers that interested or involved with solar applications, heating systems, or green technology.

Benefit for Attendee

This course recommends various measures that will provide an increased knowledge of the technical potential of Solar Water Heating to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Course Introduction

The primary focus of this course has been to provide an increased knowledge of the technical potential of Solar Water Heating to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Greater understanding of the potential of SWH would result from further analysis of availability of roofs in the residential sector, as well as potentially significant opportunities in the industrial sector. Even applying conservative assumptions for rooftop availability, there are clearly significant opportunities for SWH in both new and retrofit markets.

Course Content

The link to the course materials is as follows:

The Technical Potential of Solar Water Heating to Reduce Fossil Fuel Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States (FEMA NREL/TP-640-41157)

Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Course Summary

The current technical potential of solar water heating in the United States is estimated at about 1 quad of primary energy savings per year, equivalent to an annual CO₂ emissions reduction potential of about 50-75 million metric tons. SWH represents a significant opportunity to reduce annual CO₂ emissions in the building sector.

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.