idaho solar thermal Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Renewable Energy NW LLC
idaho solar thermal Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Renewable Energy NW LLC
CALL: 208-577-6537

Hot Or Cool Use Solar To Power Your Pool!

You already know that heating your homes water make up a larger percentage of your monthly energy costs; this is even more true if you own a pool – but it doesn’t have to be!  The whole family loves getting together around the pool when the weather is nice, so just imagine how much they will love it when they can swim comfortably any time of year.

Solar Thermal and the combined renewable technologies of our green energy partners provide clean, efficient, and reliable systems to help you cut your energy costs. In the case of pools, the pool filtration and pump system circulates water from the pool through the solar collector. Temperature sensors detect any change in water temperature and relays the information to a control valve, which then diverts or channels the pool water to the collectors, depending on the desired temperature.

This isn’t just for the kiddie ponds either – this technology is especially helpful in reducing costs on larger pools where manual adjustment of temperatures can be inefficient – so hotels, resorts, and apartments are prime applications for this solution.

Best of all? Solar technology does more than just regulate your pool temperature – it’s a whole home energy solution! Beyond just regulating pool temperature, or creating snow-free walkways, solar thermal can provide hot water for your entire house at a fraction of the cost of traditional water heating for years to come.

Contact us today for your FREE solar site estimate!

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!

Make Your Home Into A Solar Powerhouse!

A lot of people think that to see any real benefit from solar that you have to have huge sprawling tube arrays all over your roof – that just is not true! A one panel system like this hooked up to existing water heater is $4500 installed cost prior to incentives. Put together with a 30% federal tax credit and 100% deduction on Idaho State taxes over 4 years and there’s no denying that solar saves dollars and makes sense!

idaho solarOur solar thermal solutions are particularly effective when combined with solar PV from our partners at Evengreen Technology!

Here you will see solar radiant heating and water heating combined with another group of panels provide solar thermal snow melt. It is by blending our technology together that we can provide a superior solution and move many homes closer to net zero.

The RENW team visited this customer recently to take a solar shade off the first solar thermal panel.
This renewable energy project was installed in February of 2016; they turned off their hot water heater that month. The extra energy beyond providing all the hot water they will need in the winter will also assist heating the house. With Winter predicted to hit hard this year the difference comfort a solar radiant system could make for you family is something you can feel. No more chilly toes, a warm cozy house, AND lower energy costs – that’s all win!

Have you been considering the move to solar? Prices on installation have continued to go down as efficiency has gone up; it’s a great time to consider the savings that going green can provide for you. We LOVE helping our customer slash their energy bills and live more sustainable lives!

Not Your Grandpa’s Solar!

The incorrect assumption that a large investment is needed is one the primary reason why solar energy is not still not used by many people all over the world. Not only is this idea not right in regards to what solar PV (used primarily for solar power) offers but it’s even less true about solar thermal.

Now, that’s not to say that it’s 100% free or that there are no up-front installation costs involved, but it is to say that this isn’t your grandpa’s old solar array. For instance, did you know that solar thermal can pay off in 3 years against natural gas, 2 years versus electric and 1 year versus propane? True story!

One of the things we love is hearing from our customers about how switching to solar has changed the way they live:

“My June 2009 gas bill was $49. June 2010 was just $4.50! The gas company got so worried they came to check the meter – I just showed them my solar thermal panel!”

Effective. Efficient. Affordable. Sound too good to be true? It’s SCIENCE!
Are you ready to see how solar can help you save? Give us a call today at 208-577-6537 for your FREE site estimate!

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!

idaho solar power
SOLAR PV

SAVE WITH SOLAR!


Harness the power of the sun to fuel your home or business for just pennies a day! Find out how much you can save!
idaho solar thermal
SOLAR THERMAL

MORE THAN HOT WATER!


Solar thermal is a efficient way to heat all the water in your home! More than just hot showers, it can save you from shoveling snow too!
idaho house fan
WHOLE HOUSE FANS

WHOLE HOUSE COOL


Our whole house fans are one of the most efficient ways to cool your home and bring in fresh air!

idaho power independence
ELECTRICAL UPGRADES

SAVING IS SIMPLE!


You don’t have to spend a lot to save a lot! Fact is, there are hundreds of ways to improve your home energy efficiency beyond solar!

IT COSTS NOTHING TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOU COULD SAVE! CALL 208-577-6537