Dec 30 2010
The Central Electric Power Cooperative has chosen 10 households in Florence and given them solar water heaters via a pilot program on the basis of a grant given by the South Carolina Energy Office. Totally 70 homes in the entire state were to receive the solar heaters.
Southern Energy Management along with Velux, a global manufacturer of solar heaters based in Greenwood, jointly installed all the solar units. This program is to give CEPCI, insights into solar energy and its workings.
According to Paul Johnson, Velux Sales Manager for the Southeast District, this would be a great benefit for the residents as every average home spends about 20 to 25% of home energy costs for heating water. People would be able to save money on utility bills, and at the same time solar water heating is being promoted. He also said that the company was proud that this project was being implemented in their home state, South Carolina.
William Lifrege, a resident of Florence, was one of the ten people who received a solar heater. He came to know about the program from a notice printed on his electric bill and on seeing it he decided to put in an application for the solar heater. Lifrege stated that he was trying to save as much as he could. Every equipment that he owned had timers on it and he had also changed all the lighting fixtures. He reveals that he has been able to save $200 during the past three months since the installation of the solar heater.
Southern Energy Management confirmed that solar water heating could provide around 75% of an average family’s hot water requirement and at the same time prevent 19,000 pounds of carbon emissions, which would have been released by heating water via non-renewable sources. Over 25 of the solar systems would be under observation for a one year period to track the quantity of solar hot water produced and the quantity of electricity that was being saved. According to CEPCI’s Project Administrator Energy Programs, Scott Hammond, the CEPCI was eagerly waiting to analyze the information gained from the monitored systems.