Solar water heaters are best bet

Home appliance provides benefits of financial, eco-friendly nature

by Eran Mahrer - Aug. 23, 2008 12:00 AM
Special for The Arizona Republic

 

Which appliance costs you the most money on your energy bill last month? Chances are - outside of the air-conditioner - it was your water heater. In fact, if you're like many other Arizona families, that one appliance alone accounted for about 15 percent of your total energy bill last year.

But, it doesn't have to be that way. By installing a solar water heater, you could virtually eliminate that energy cost. Solar water heaters are not only affordable, they also provide environmental benefits.

If only 10 percent of homes in Arizona employed solar water heaters, we collectively would save enough energy to power more than 36,000 homes. And, because the sun serves as the solar water heater's energy source, it's clean and renewable.

The economics work out pretty nicely as well. A homeowner may pay anywhere between $600 to $1,000 for a water heater, depending on size and type. By comparison, a typical solar water heater cost just over $5,000. However, when you combine Arizona Public Service incentives with state and federal tax credits, that same solar water heater could cost as little as $1,300 and provide most of your family's hot water needs. When the system isn't producing hot water (such as during the nighttime), your traditional water heater acts as the backup to heat your water.

Today's solar water heaters are more reliable than ever. Solar water heaters trump traditional water heaters when you consider their cumulative cost savings.

Once a solar water heater is installed, the energy it uses costs nothing - day after day, decade after decade. Considering that an electric water heater costs the typical family more than $20 per month to operate, you savings will accumulate very quickly.

Incentive amounts from APS vary, with a "typical" incentive being about $2,000, depending on the estimated savings the solar water heating system is expected to produce in a year (the savings estimate is based on an industry rating of the installed system).

Overall, nearly 2,000 customers have taken advantage of APS renewable energy incentives providing customers with over $16 million towards the installation of renewable energy systems.

APS customers interested in taking advantage of the available incentives should begin by consulting a licensed contractor. Be sure to check that the system you want to acquire qualifies for rebates before purchasing one. The system also must be installed by a licensed contractor in Arizona and the equipment must be OG-300 rated (a standard industry rating) to qualify for the incentive.

In addition, you'll want to reserve your incentive with APS, as funds are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The incentive application, along with instructions and other resources can be found at www.aps.com/GoSolar.

Eran Mahrer manages the Renewable Energy Planning group at Arizona Public Service Co.