solar news Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Renewable Energy NW LLC

Solar Thermal Does More Than Heat – How COOL Is That?!

Solar Thermal, despite being somewhat of a newer alternative energy technology is finally settling in to the broader awareness of consumers across the nation. It’s ability to cut costs by saving on heating the water for your home is easily it’s most well known application, with solar radiant heating and snow melt being close behind. But did you also know that the same system that you can use to slash your energy budget in half can also help cool your home or business as well?

It’s TRUE!

Floor cooling is similar to floor heating that has been used in Europe and other parts of the world over the last several decades. The lines we use to run solar radiant heating through your floors can just as easily use the cool water already present in your home to circulate cool water throughout the building as well.

This ambient cooling provides a great, efficient way to move cooler temperatures through your home in the Summer months without overburdening your electrical system. This style of comfort cooling is exceptional because it works in harmony with your body, cooling not only through the touch but also by lowering the temperature of the air itself as the cooler air moves through the system.

Radiant cooling energy savings depend on the climate and other factors, but on average across the US savings are over 20% compared to conventional systems. Solar radiant cooling also generally has lower first costs and lifecycle costs compared to conventional systems. While solar radiant heating and cooling may not be right for all applications, spaces with large air volumes, such as loading docks and warehouses, are especially good for radiant floor heating because heating all that air would be inefficient.

In more typical uses solar radiant hvac is more efficient than forced air heating or cooling because there are no drafts or duct losses.

Whether it’s for adding comfort to your home or business, we know that solar thermal can help you save on your energy costs!
Through our partnerships with other exceptional local service provides we’re able to create a comprehensive and holistic energy plan that’s sure to help you save by harnessing the power of the sun! Call 208-577-6537 today to schedule your free solar site visit!

Solar Thermal Efficiency

We love sharing our solar thermal solutions with people and have been fortunate to be part of several home shows this year where we’ve been able to show off our amazing technology! Most people are familiar with traditional Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) systems that have been used for years to generate electric power from the sun but very few know about the true solar thermal technology that we provide.

While regular solar PV can be used to create power very well it falls short when it comes to providing hot water when compared to solar thermal. You see solar PV takes the electrical power it gathers from the direct sunlight and then heats your homes water much in the normal way it always has; this provides an efficiency rate of only about 14%. Alternately, true solar thermal systems use radiant ultra violet energy from the sun to heat water itself providing efficiency upwards of 94% – even on cloudy days.

Both systems have similar tax incentives and are a wonderful alternative to energy from the grid. They even work very well together, along with other solar products like solar lighting, solar attic fans, and other HVAC innovations. And it’s not just for new homes, we love providing whole home holistic solar solutions for existing homes as well! When we update your HVAC with an energy efficient system and add our additional solar HVAC options it’s possible to remove 50% of the total energy from your home.

But, we live in IDAHO! What about Winter time?
Our system uses evacuated glass tubes that contain a vacuum – one of the best natural insulators. We have been in business almost 8 years now and up until this last winter – one of the coldest and snowiest on record in 30 years! – we have never had to sweep off snow; the system is set up so inside the house everything has 100% back up just in case. Our radiant solar snow melting walkways are also a great addition to help keep the flurries at bay.

Renewable Energy In The News!

It’s no secret, we love what we do and the people we serve, and while we don’t do it for the praise we’ve got to say it feels especially great when we get a little extra recognition for all of our hard work. We had the chance to speak with the kind folks at the Better Business Bureau Snake River Region about our services – you can read the full article here.

Over the 7 plus years we’ve been working in Idaho we’ve install over 1,000 solar thermal tubes all across the state from single family homes to huge multi-acreage farms and even radiant heated snow melting walkways – it’s been an exciting trip so far!

“It’s extremely important that we deliver satisfaction and affordable renewable energy solutions.”
–Carl Simpson

You may be surprised to learn that many of our customers don’t always start out knowing a lot about solar power, much less the solar thermal systems we specialize in; most times it starts out with curiosity and a question: “what is that? how does it work?”. In very basic terms, the tubes sit on top of a roof, on an exterior wall, or even on the ground, and absorb energy from the sun. The unit itself has two glass tubes with a vacuum in between; the ultra violet rays go inside the tube, and (the inside) can be 400 degrees in an hour even at negative 30 degrees, while the outside remains completely cool to the touch. This solar heated water is stored in your hot water heater and is ready to use throughout your home at any time – whether it’s for washing dishes or soaking in the hot tub – just like your normal hot water would be.

“But my home is already built!”
Don’t panic! While we love installing solar thermal in new construction we’re more than experienced in retrofitting older homes and businesses with solar almost as easily. Beyond environmental considerations, one of the reasons people are most interested in going green with solar is of course the savings on energy costs. You’ll be glad to know that our solar thermal systems generally run around 94% efficient and even our most basic setup can usually cut your heating costs by 1/4th or more especially when installed along with other green solutions like solar attic fans and solar pv.

If you’re considering a switch to solar we’d love to talk to you! Go ahead and do a little homework, shop around, and give us a call when you’d like to talk or if you just have questions – one of the things we love about our business is the fact that we get to talk with so many different people while we spread the good news about renewable energy in Idaho! Get your FREE solar site estimate call 208-577-6537 today!

Relief From The Snowpocalypse!

Old man Winter made himself known in a big way here in Idaho as most of you in the Northwest know! Record snowfall brought FEET of the powdery white stuff to our region, putting a halt to business as usual for a lot of folks – unless they were selling snow shovels and ice melt salt!

One group of people who had a little less to worry about this season were our radiant solar heating customers! Those who make use of solar thermal for ice melting walkways like our good friends at NNU had plenty of time to enjoy toasting their toes instead of shoveling snow. Even our customers who used the power of the sun for radiant solar flooring were snug as bugs as they enjoyed the benefits of lower heating costs throughout these coldest of months.

Keeping the snow away and your ten little piggies warm is just part of what is possible though! Through our solar power partners we are one of the few green energy companies who can provide a truly holistic whole home solution for your energy needs. And it’s not just for the house – if you’re in the ag industry, or any industry that relies on hot water we can help you cut your energy bills in half! – call us to find out more!

Straw Houses and Solar Savings

It’s hard not to get excited when we see so many people saving with solar here in Idaho! What’s more, it’s helping change the way we think about how we build homes and commercial buildings in relation to their environment; that is leading to innovation. 2016 has been a year of amazing growth for the RENW team and we feel very fortunate to continue to have the opportunity to work with others in our great state who have a passion for building a better Idaho.

We’re 1,000 panels install strong thanks to all of our great realtors, builders, dairies, and of course all of YOU!
Amazing! Let’s keep growing strong with solar!

Some of the people who helped make it happen include:
Earthcraft Construction Legacy Homes Paradigm Construction Company Berkeley Building Company, Inc. Flynner design+build Northern Construction Keath Bennett Realtor & Builder United Dairymen of Idaho and all our great partners!

One such project you likely heard of was the straw house in Boise! We got to be part of this wonderful project first hand with our partners at Earthcraft Construction and were thrilled at the reception it received from the local community. Designer Mark L. Hixson is no stranger to straw homes and the many benefits this style of ultra-green construction can provide, having first built his first straw house in 2010.

“It’s cheaper to build, the heating and cooling costs are ten times less than a normal home,” Lung said. “It’s sustainable, you are using a waste product (and) supporting local farmers.”

Falling in line with recent home design trends like the tiny house movement this latest build features a 980 square foot home with a dynamic design with a annual heating and cooling cost right around $65. That’s not a typo dear reader – that’s a 6 and a 5, no 0 behind it to heat and cool and home for the entire year. With figures like that you can see why we’re more than just a little bit excited about the amazing things going on here in the Treasure Valley!

Want to talk more about the straw house and how solar thermal is changing construction in the Northwest?
We’d love to talk to you more! Call for a free estimate or come see us this July 28-31, 2016 at the Canyon County Fair as we kick off the Summer of Solar!

Category: solar news

Solar Thermal Does More Than Heat – How COOL Is That?!

Solar Thermal Efficiency

Renewable Energy In The News!

“It’s extremely important that we deliver satisfaction and affordable renewable energy solutions.”
–Carl Simpson

Relief From The Snowpocalypse!

Straw Houses and Solar Savings

SAVE WITH SOLAR!

MORE THAN HOT WATER!

WHOLE HOUSE COOL

SAVING IS SIMPLE!

“It’s extremely important that we deliver satisfaction and affordable renewable energy solutions.” –Carl Simpson

SAVE WITH SOLAR!

MORE THAN HOT WATER!

WHOLE HOUSE COOL

SAVING IS SIMPLE!

“It’s extremely important that we deliver satisfaction and affordable renewable energy solutions.”
–Carl Simpson