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Reach To The Sun, The Earth...
A Look At Sustainable Energy For Home Heating

ELLENVILLE – I have to admit, I am not well versed in the ways of solar and geothermal heating. In fact, my experiences with solar thermal heating are limited to the solar cover we had on our pool as a kid and the watering of my garden, with water turning blazing hot after the vinyl hose sat in the summer sun. And even less for geothermal.

But this has to change given the price of traditional energy sources, including the need for more sustainability in the face of climate change. And what I've come to find out is that, as with any home heating system, solar and geothermal have their benefits and drawbacks.

Heating a home with solar energy can take two forms — passive and active. To take a passive approach, the right amount of window surface area — in conjunction with the right types of building materials used as insulators, like brick instead of drywall in a south facing orientation — can provide a great deal of free heat from the sun. Unfortunately, though, most homes cannot be picked up and rotated and the thought of costly construction to change the interior of a house might not be an option.

And so there's the active approach — a solar hot water system where specialized solar panels are affixed to a roof to collect sunlight, or heat. A water or antifreeze solution, typically propylene glycol, then circulates through the panels and continues on its path to a water storage tank in the mechanical room, according to the APEX Thermal Services website.

The most basic system to heat hot water through solar power, and still see a decrease in oil, gas or electric use, is roughly $10,000 according to APEX owner-operator Alan Paul; it would then reduce the use of total fuel used by 15 to 20 percent.

What does that equate to, in bottom line talk?

"The typical home may save $600 to $900 a year," Alan said. But it could be even more, he continued, as oil and gas prices continue to climb.

And then there are tax incentives for homeowners interested in going this route. According to Alan, those equal about 55 percent of the total project cost, with 33 percent coming from federal tax credits with no limit on installed cost, and 25 percent in state tax credits, and a $5,000 installed cost limit.

Including the tax incentives, Alan said, an installed solar system would be paid for in 4.5 to 5 years — while simultaneously saving on oil, gas, or electric costs.

The incentives can be an attractive offer for many homeowners struggling with the decision to go solar thermal. Unfortunately, the village of Ellenville doesn't offer homeowners any additional incentives — at least not yet, according to code-enforcement officer Brian Schug.

"There are no green initiatives at all in our zoning code excepting the wind energy project in Cragsmoor — that law still remains on the books," Schug said, referring to a proposed wind farm from the 1980s. This has prompted the village planning board to take a serious look at what could now be offered to residents, such as an elimination of building permit fees for solar and other sustainable energy sources installations, not increasing a home's assessed value with such installations, and possibly a five-year ten percent tax break.

"We have to find some way to get creative on tax relief for those going green," Schug said, adding that the village wastewater plant already uses both solar and geothermal systems in its operation.

As for whether one should have to choose between solar and geothermal alternatives, Dewitt Archibald of Archibald Heating and Air Conditioning in Kingston answered, matter-of-factly, "Geothermal AND solar. Period. Game over."

In the simplest terms, geothermal heat is harvested from the earth via a vertical or horizontal loop system; water circulates through the loop and enters the ground source heat pump, and ultimately comes through your home.

If a potential customer was to contact his company about a geothermal system, Dewitt went on, there would be a three prong attack to determine the best geothermal, solar thermal or combination of both for their particular situation and needs. These would include an energy audit, which includes a test to determine the infiltration rate, or "home breathing," your residence has (an average home can lose thirty percent of its energy through leaks, cracks and caps). Then the measurements of one's home would be computed, and a site survey of the property would be conducted to see if a vertical or horizontal loop system would be best. The audit, depending on time, property and house specifications would run a homeowner $250 to $500 to conduct.

Through his experience, Dewitt has seen complete geothermal systems installed for as little as $18,000 and as much as $245,000, with only a 33 percent federal tax credit incentive offered. The best system, he advises clients, is a hybrid mix of solar and geothermal products that would save the homeowner the most money, in the long run.

Some of his clients, he said, are willing to pay whatever it takes to get away from fossil fuel use, while others just want to be conscious of a budget. And while he couldn't offer an exact timeline on system payback, he suggested that most fall within the five to seven year mark — typically a good investment target, he added.

While I don't know if solar or geothermal is in the cards for my family, others may see a clear route to limiting their carbon footprint... and increasing future savings.

In our next issue, look for ways to use alternatives, as well as button up your home for winter.



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