Heating and cooling represents about 30 percent of the nation's energy use, and water heaters make up a significant chunk of that consumption. For the average home, using solar energy to heat water can result in hundreds of dollars of energy savings each year - and for a business like Skogies Car Washes in British Columbia, the savings can be even greater.
Skogies has found that it can use fewer cleaning chemicals when it washes cars with hot water, but water is expensive to heat with conventional methods. A solar-thermal system like the one that Global Earth Energy is supplying can both reduce energy costs and heat water more quickly.
"Going green is one of the best operational investments a business can make, turning highly variable energy costs into a low, predictable operating expense," GEE CEO Syd Harland said.
In the future, Skogies expects to use its solar-thermal systems to heat water for its washrooms, too.
