Solar water heating uses the sun’s energy to provide hot water for your home. System components for cold climates typically include a solar collector, a heat exchanger, and an insulated storage tank. The sun is used to warm a heat transfer fluid (such as a propylene glycol), which passes through the heat exchanger to transfer the sun’s heat to your domestic hot water. Types of solar collectors include evacuated tube collectors (pictured here) and flat-plate collectors. For more information about solar water heating technologies, see the US Department of Energy’s solar water heating information.
Residential solar water heating systems often cost less than $10,000, and reduce your water heating bills by 50-80%.
What incentives and tax credits are available for solar water heating?
Federal Tax Credits are available to cover 30% of the cost of a renewable energy system, with no maximum amount. Federal tax credits expire in 2016. For more information, click here.
Montana Tax Credits of $500 per taxpayer, up to $1,000 per household, are also available. For more information, click here.
Low-Interest Loans are available from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality through the Alternative Energy Revolving Loan Program. The current interest rate is 4.0 percent. For more information, click here.
Looking for a contractor?
Check out our Directory of Renewable Energy Dealers/Installers.
Where can I find more information?
Solar Water Heating information from the US Department of Energy
Montana State University Extension E3A Solar Hot Water Fact Sheets
Photo credit (this page): Liquid Solar Systems