Green Power – Solar Water Heating System [ECG-Premium] [Cat.2 - Stock Available] | ecospecifier

Green Power – Solar Water Heating System [ECG-Premium] [Cat.2 - Stock Available]

Overview:

High efficiency evacuated tube solar water heating technology provides hot water for a range of applications, and qualifies for electricity supplier rebate for residential purchases. Suitable for domestic and commercial applications.

Product Description:

Evacuated tube solar water heating consists of evacuated glass tubes containing aluminium fins. As the fins collect the sun’s energy, an ether solution inside copper tubing evaporates and rises to condense on a copper head, creating temperatures up to 200°C. The heat is transferred to a manifold and then to water, which is circulated by a pump, heated and then collected in a storage tank. The system uses a programmable control device and sensors to control the temperature and flow of water.

The pump can be powered by a photovoltaic panel so that the system is completely off the power grid. The system can also be installed as an indirect system, using a heat-collecting fluid to circulate throughout the system, heating the water through a heat exchanger, or a direct system that heats water directly from the manifold. The solar collector can be installed on 15°-90° slopes, and the geyser can be mounted inside or out. Solar collectors can also be linked together to heat any volume of water.

Residential purchasers qualifies for a rebate of ZAR 3700 (for the 10 tube system) from ESKOM (SA’s national parastatal electricity supplier), under an electricity management programme to reduce grid demand. According to the manufacturer, due to the efficiency of the system, Green Power Solar Solutions can provide the highest rebate in the country.

The system is low maintenance, and individual tubes can be replaced without draining or shutting down the system.

Can also be used very effectively to power solar thermal in-slab or radiator based hydronic space heating systems that are the most cost effective winter heating systems when incorporated in combination with passive solar designed buildings such as homes and small to medium commercial buildings.

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PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Options	10 Tube, 20 tube, and 25 tube variations
Colours	Can be painted to match any roof colour
Warranty	5 years on collector and 1 year on pump and control system
Expected Life	10 years depending on water quality
Indicative Costs	Cost of Supply R 15000 to R 22000	Cost of installation R 3500 to R 5500
Purchase Options	Access to personal loan finance from Nedbank Ltd.
Constituents	Aluminium framing, Borosilicate glass tubes, vitreous coated steel tank with Chromadeck colour coated or Stainless steel weather casing (magnesium anode?) to tank, polyurethane insulation to tank and copper heat exchanger, manifold, tubes and pipes,
Technical Specifications	150 Litre model provides up to 7.5 Kwh per day
National & International Standards	SANS 6211-1, SANS 1307:2007, Solar Keymark, CE EN12975-1
Country of Origin	China
Projects	Fancourt Gold Estate (Montague Ridge – 26 Domestic systems installed)
Preparation	Plumbing related product to be installed by qualified plumber and electrician.

ECOSPECIFIER LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT

INTEGRATED DESIGN AND POLICY ISSUES

Energy for water heating comprises about one quarter of a home’s energy requirement. Green Power Solar Systems are designed to provide around 2/3rds of a home’s energy needs for hot water heating. This results in large energy savings, reduced peak grid electricity demand and carbon emissions. Green Power Solar Systems can qualify for a utility provider rebate to reduce the initial cost of the system.

The largest energy savings result when such systems are used in conjunction with manual booster overrides and boosters can be switched off altogether in summer when conditions permit.

HUMAN HEALTH

Health

The un-reacted raw materials of this product include Crystalline Silica. Crystalline silica exists in a variety of other common materials such as concrete, render, grout, tile, glass etc. This issue relates to the cutting, grinding and other occupational production activities of products containing crystalline silica and is not an issue as installed in buildings.

The IARC classifies crystalline silica inhaled in the form of quartz, from occupational sources, as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). However, the Australian body, ASCC/NOHSC (National Occupational Health and Safety Commission) have not classified crystalline silica as a carcinogen.

Accordingly the sanding, grinding and other occupational production activities of products containing Crystalline Silica, may present issues if appropriate precautions are not taken. Precautions for workers such as reducing exposure to product in dust form and using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) mitigate potential issues to low risk in accordance with an ecospecifier Risk Assessment. Refer to Material Safety Data Sheet for further information.

Comfort

The system is equipped with an electrical element to provide hot water regardless of sun or during periods of extended over use.

Indoor Environment Quality

The solar hot water system has no known negative effects on Indoor Environment Quality and could improve quality when compared to gas water heaters located within the building envelope.

Electromagnetic Radiation

Uses a very small amount of electricity, when electrical element is not engaged, to run controllers and sensors.

Safety

Product to be installed in compliance with the national standards for hot water systems and their related safety devices by qualified personnel only.

Accessibility

Not applicable

ECOLOGICAL QUALITY

Terrestrial

Emissions – The iron ores, bauxite and the production of steel and aluminium used to make the product lead to localized emissions to terrestrial environments around production facilities. The production of alumina from bauxite ores uses a chemical treatment, known as the Bayer Process (see Glossary). The alkaline (fluoride containing) mist associated with this process may have adverse land and soil impacts. Sand mining and processing can produce emissions to land from surface impoundments of liquids, solids and slurries and from storage facilities.

Physical – Extraction of silica, bauxite, iron ore, copper and other ores will disrupt landscapes and alter ecosystems. Because bauxite deposits are found near the Earth’s surface, mining requires removal of topsoil and overburden before deeper excavation occurs. The extraction of iron and other ores used to make steel does disrupt local landscapes and alter local ecosystems. Physical impacts from sand mining are a result of the removal and stockpiling of topsoil and sub-soil, and from removing overburden and interburden, resulting in modified soil profiles, topography and drainage.

Aquatic

Emissions – The extraction of silica, iron ore, bauxite, copper and the production of steel, aluminium and copper products, have associated emissions to aquatic environments that have localised impacts around production facilities.

Physical – The extraction of silica, iron and other ores in the production steel, bauxite and copper have associated minor localised physical impacts on aquatic environments around production facilities. Bauxite residues of red mud are disposed of in dams. Bauxite residue (chemically stable and non-toxic) is pumped to disposal dams where the mud is allowed to settle. The excess water is discharged into marine environments.

Atmosphere

Greenhouse (GHG) – The production of metals and glass used to make the product involves energy consumption and GHG emissions. Steel production creates CO2 emissions of which approximately 80% come from the chemical process of making iron. Alumina processing requires high-energy consumption and significant greenhouse gas emissions are associated with the production of refined alumina. Borosilicate glass production requires higher temperatures that standard glass and therefore higher greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenhouse intensity – Unknown

Transport intensity – Product is manufactured in China. GHG intensities for shipping product are shown below. Shipping port from country of origin is Shanghai. Destination port is Durban.

Product weight	Distance to destination port	Energy Intensity - Container Shipping	GHG Intensity - Container Shipping
70 kg / per functional unit	12,845km	0.000135MJ / kg.km	0.000011kgCO2e / kg.km

Greenhouse Intensity for Container Shipping of 20 tube water heating system – 9.9 kgCO2e / per functional unit

Table below provides land transportation greenhouse intensity figures to help calculate the greenhouse gas intensity of land transportation from shipping port.

Light commercial vehicle	Rigid Truck	Articulated Truck
0.001451kgCO2e / kg.km	0.000195kgCO2e / kg.km	0.000169kgCO2e / kg.km

Transport intensity figures sourced from Australian National Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990, 1995 and 1999 and WWF International, Inland Navigations and Emissions, 2005.

Operational efficiency – Results show that the 10 tube 150 Litre system produces 7.5 kWh of solar heating capacity a day, where average electric systems have 3kW elements and typically operate 4hrs a day.

Re-use Efficiency – Product is capable of being removed and reused if required.

Toxics and Pollutants – The process of alumina refinement generates plant emissions, including coal dust, fugitive lime dust, alumina dust and aerosol generated from plant process liquor including fluorine/fluoride emissions that are known toxins.

Ozone Depletion – No known impact

Urban Heat Island Effects – Not applicable

Noise – No impact

Biodiversity

RESOURCE DEPLETION

Resource Efficiency

Systems are produced from non-renewable, finite resources.

Iron and aluminium are two of the most abundant elements on earth. Iron ore is however still a finite resource, with demand currently exceeding supply. Bauxite is a non-renewable mineral resource in relatively abundant supply and is able to be recycled. Copper is an increasingly rare metal with demand exceeding supply and prices increasing dramatically.

Embodied Fossil Fuel Energy

Product is composed of high embodied energy materials however function of product is to minimize reliance on fossil fuel energy for hot water needs and the materials used are justified by the need for optimum durability and the negation of most heating energy for hot water..

Transport intensity – Product is manufactured in China. Energy intensities for shipping product are shown below. Shipping port from country of origin is Shanghai. Destination port is Durban.

Energy Intensity for Container Shipping of 20 tube water heating system - 121MJ / per functional unit

Embodied Water

Unknown

Durability

Product has a life expectancy of 10 years dependant on water quality.

Reusability

Product components can be separated and certain elements can be reused.

Repairability

Individual tubes can be replaced without draining or shutting down the system.

Design for Dematerialisation

Not designed for dematerialisation.

Design for Disassembly

Not designed to be easily disassembled.

Recyclability

Individual materials, such as aluminium, can be recycled upon separation from the unit.

Maintenance

The system works at it optimum performance when tubes are periodically cleaned of atmospheric dust and the tubes should be checked to ensure vacuum has not been compromised. The geyser’s sacrificial anode needs to be periodically replaced as per the normal requirements of a geyser.

Product Takeback Scheme

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

CORPORATE AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Audits and Environmental Reporting

Unknown