Americans and Solar Heating

Americans are becoming more and more energy conscious every year. This is leading to increased interest in alternative energy solutions for residential homes. One of these is solar heating. As almost everybody knows, solar power (and solar heating) uses the sun's rays and converts them into energy. This is very easy to implement in the case of water heaters, which are a large percentage of any home's heating cost. An article from Earth Techling explains how Americans are taking advanatage of this technology:

“Solar heating and cooling technologies” is an umbrella term used to describe solar energy technologies that capture the sun’s heat, providing energy for water and pool heating as well as space heating and cooling. These technologies save homes and businesses money by offsetting the use of electricity, natural gas and home heating fuels. Today, there are enough solar water heating systems installed in the United States to serve 1.5 million homes.

A recent study by Gotham Research Group, conducted on behalf of the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), found that public support for solar water heating remains unsullied by the the bankruptcy of Solyndra (a cutting-edge photovoltaic company, after all). The poll found that three out of four respondents (74 percent) agreed that “the growth of the solar water heating industry will produce jobs and help the American economy.” Positive perceptions of solar water heating systems exceeded negative perceptions by more than 10 to one.

For the full article, click here.