IAP Political Forum

Unfortunately, there is no single silver bullet that will prevent human caused global warming.

Fortunately there are many effective things we can do now to reduce the future impact of our greenhouse gas emissions before they take their toll. We can avoid and postpone emitting them.

In the areas that get lots of sun, solar hot water heating is the most efficient ways of capturing the sun’s energy.

It is most usefull where people tend to use relatively large amounts of hot water during the daytime and in the summer. Although many can benefit financially from solar hot water heating, businesses in the south with good sun exposure are the prime candidates for this technology as they tend to use more hot water in the daytime and in the summer than many homes do. Admittedly most businesses are thinking about their business and not about energy efficiency, this is why a kick start to the industry is helpful.

California is considering (http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_6918149) providing tax incentives to homes and businesses that install hot water systems. This is a good thing IMO, although it would be even better if it included free site evaluation to provide a professional opinion considering the cost benefit analysis of each potential individual application considering both the available sun exposure and daily and seasonal water usage.   There is no point in installing these where they will not be cost/energy effective.

Here in Barcelona there's a mandatory quota of new buildings that must use this technology. Also it's been used in social homing programs. They're very useful and provide up to 70% the yearly needs of sanitary hot water (supplied at 45º).

Some relatives of mine live in one of such buildings and never have had supply trouble; there's a common boiler that backups sanitary water system and supplies the heating water system (at 80º). All in all it's saving them a lot in natural gas, compared to their former home. There's also photovoltaic panels that supply the common needs (common spaces lighting, elevators, pumping). And although they don't use them, there are too hot water takes for dishwashers and washing machines, in case the appliances can use hot water intake. More saving here.

Trouble is, the quota is small (15% of all new housing built by 2010) and social housing programs are few.

But at least we try. ;)

Well it is a step in the right direction. As we find the most efficient steps to take they will get larger. As some Asian guy once said (I think it was Mao but it might have been Genghis Khan, Confucius or Chung King). “Every journey begins with the first step”.