Experiences With Using Solar Photovoltaics to Heat Domestic Water

Abstract

The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to make progress in increasing the efficiency while reducing the manufacturing costs of PV cells. Economies of scale are being realized as manufacturers expand their production capabilities. Products are commercially available that integrate photovoltaic cells within building façade, fenestration, and roofing components. Legislation and incentive programs by government and commercial entities are supporting both reduced first costs and greater rates of return. The combination of factors support improved cost-effectiveness. As this trend continues, more options for using PV become possible. One such application is a stand-alone, PV-direct, solar water heating application. Solar water heating can be effectively accomplished by directly using the DC power production from solar photovoltaic modules. A simple controller having multiple power relays connects the PV modules with different combinations of in-tank resistive elements. The controller actively changes the resistive combination so that the photovoltaic modules generate power at or near their maximum output. The technology, which has been patented, is applicable to configurations that use a single water heater and to two water heaters that are piped in series. Prototypes using both tank configurations were monitored at four field sites. This paper emphasizes the single-tank application and the field results from installations in Maryland and Florida.