Green Living
By Sarah Lozanova

Chicago Solar Tour:
Renewable Energy Behind the Scenes

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On Saturday, October 4, homeowners and businesses with renewable energy systems will open their doors from 10am to 3pm to help spread the word about these innovative technologies. Ranging from single family homes to restaurants, nearly eighty renewable energy systems will be on display.

     The majority of the systems utilize solar energy, but a few stops have wind or geothermal systems. Participants can view renewable energy systems in action and ask the owners questions regarding their personal experience. Many buildings are open for inside viewing, allowing participants to gain a deeper understanding. Bike routes have been created to encourage participants to bike from site to site.

     The Illinois Solar Tour is part of a national solar tour organized by the American Solar Energy Society (www.ases.org). This is the thirteenth year of the event, which will showcase systems in 44 states. Last year 115,000 participants visited 5,000 buildings.

     To find out more information about this free tour, visit the Illinois Solar Energy Association website (www.illinoissolar.org).

Sneak Preview of Solar Buildings

     Armstrong Residence: Although this house in Naperville is 3,500 square feet, the winter heating bills are around $100 a month. A passive solar design, a green roof, and a solar system for electricity are responsible for very low utility bills throughout the year.

     Evelyn Pease Tyner Center: This museum educates visitors about prairie ecology, natural history, and sustainable living. Located in Glenview, the center features a geothermal system for heating and cooling, a solar electric system, and a green roof.

     Hybrid House: Numerous renewable energy systems are featured at this house, including passive solar, solar electricity, solar hot water, and geothermal. This house on Chicago’s south side makes good use of the renewable through efficiency with a heat recovery ventilator, efficient appliances and lighting, and effective insulation.

     Kuchar Residence: Six panels line the roof to provide heat and hot water for this house in Downers Grove. A copper coil was added to the furnace to allow it to heat the home with either solar energy or natural gas.

     Matson Residence: This single family home on the north side of Chicago utilizes solar energy for space heating, domestic hot water, and pool heating. Solar exposure was considered from the beginning, so the house was sited to maximize the sun’s energy.

     Robinson Residence: Four renewable energy technologies are utilized at this Lisle house including solar heat, solar electricity, wind electricity, and solar heated water. The renewable energy system in not tied to the grid like most other systems and contains batteries.

    Uncommon Ground Restaurant: A five panel solar system heats a significant amount of hot water for this new restaurant on the north side of Chicago. The panels share the roof with a 2,500 square foot garden.

     Tauck Residence: A wind turbine and solar panels produce electricity for this house in Marengo and are connected to the power grid. In addition, solar thermal panels heat the majority of the water used in the home.

Four Things to Consider Before Going Solar Thermal

Solar thermal technology provides space heating and hot water and is a frequently forgotten member of the solar family. These highly effective systems are popular in many parts of the globe, from China to Greece to Zimbabwe. In Illinois, they displace the use of the existing hot water heater and heating equipment, typically saving either natural gas or electricity. Solar thermal is a more mature technology than solar photovoltaic systems that produce electricity. It has been used for centuries for water heating. In fact, even Leonardo Da Vinci owned one.

When considering the installation of such a system, it is important to consider the following items.

Solar Exposure

     For those readers who live in the northern hemisphere, it is best to point the panels facing south. If the mounting surface is not angled to face south, the efficiency of the system may decrease.

     Solar thermal panels are usually mounted in a fixed position and do not have tracking equipment to follow the sun. This is because the panels have copper pipe connected to them and a fluid running through the panel. They also can be heavy and a bit clunky to follow the sun’s angle.

     It is important to consider your solar window and how much shade may interfere. Solar thermal panels generate heat, instead of an electric current, so they are not as sensitive to a little shade. It is, however, recommended to have clear solar exposure from 10am–2 pm as a minimum.

     Remember that the sun is lower in the sky in the winter months. If your solar system will provide heat, a good winter solar window is very important. If the roof of your home is not ideal, it is possible to mount panels as an awning, on the ground, or on a garage.

Space for Solar Equipment

     Solar thermal systems in cooler climates require room for a solar storage tank near the existing hot water heater. This heater becomes the back-up when there is not enough sunshine to heat the water. Therefore, you will need space for a tank up to thirty inches in diameter for most applications. It needs to be in a heated space and will have a pipe connecting it to the existing hot water heater.

Heating Equipment

     If you live in a cooler climate and you have enough room for panels, the solar system can assist with heating your home. Solar works best with forced air furnaces and radiant floor heating systems. Boilers with radiators operate at a higher temperature and are not usually good for interfacing with solar.

Energy Efficiency

     Before forking out a bunch of money on a solar system, it is a good idea to consider energy efficiency first. Weatherization and conservation are often low hanging fruit for energy and money savings. Water-saving shower heads, front loading washers, and washing clothes in cold water can help to maximize your solar energy. The sun can heat between fifty to one hundred percent of the water used in a home, depending on climate, use, and system size. Efficiency helps increase that percentage, especially in cloudy weather.

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After earning an MBA in sustainable management from the Presidio School of Management in San Francisco, Sarah Lozanova joined Solar Service Inc. She is a writer for Green Options Media and co-founder of Trees Across the Miles, a non-profit urban reforestation project. Sarah can be contacted at Sarah.Lozanova@gmail.com. 

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