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Prices and Payback of Solar Pool
Heating Equipment
Solar Pool Heating Costs
The costs of solar
pool heating include
basically the cost of...
1) solar collectors
2) filter and pipes
3) in some cases, an extra small pump or a larger pump than the one
used to filter the water
4) installation
The main cost is the cost of the solar collectors, but the unglazed solar collectors usually used in solar pool heating
systems are relatively cheap. See
Solar Pool Collectors
Technology.
Filter
and pipes are a relatively minor cost, and the pump
is usually the same pump used to filter the water in conventional
swimming pools, though in some cases you do need a pump with
more power to
move the pool's water to and through the collectors.
See: Sizing of pipes and pumps
for pools
Remember that the cost of solar energy systems depends
strongly on:
- the size of the pool
- your climate/weather
- the temperature you wish for the pool
- the use of a pool cover (it
can significantly reduce swimming pool heating costs, by
avoiding heat losses during overnight)
- the period you intend to use the swimming pool (just in
summer, year-round…)
- solar rebates, tax
incentives and subsidies
given by governments
and states for systems involving solar hot water systems.
PS: For year-round pool heating
in really cold climates the initial investment may also include
a conventional heat exchanger to transfer heat to the pool water and
to protect the
solar collectors from freezing.
Initial Investment of solar
pool heating
The cost of solar pool heating systems is basically the initial investment: something
usually between
$3,000 and $5,000 for a typical 300-400 square foot (28-38 m2)
pool.
In other words: the
initial investment rounds an average $10 - $12 per pool square foot.
Note: the solar pool heating systems demands an initial higher
investment than a gas pool heating system (or other systems):
two times more, in average. But you will recover the initial
investment in a relatively short time.
Operating costs
of solar pool heating
The operating costs of solar pool heating are nearly zero, while
the operating costs of gas heated pools are very substantial:
often above $1,000 per year, for a pool of 300-400 square foot
with an eight-months/year period of use.
Savings and Payback allowed by
Solar Pool Heating Systems
Supposing an initial investment of $2500 for a gas pool heating
system and a $5000 initial cost of a solar pool heating system,
the comparative economics for a 10 years period are very elucidative (using
the hypothesis presented above):
Gas Pool Heating System (10 Years, 400 square foot pool)
Initial Investment: $2,500
Operating Costs: $10,000 (optimistic hypothesis)
Total Costs: $12,500
Solar Pool Heating System (10 Years, 400 square foot pool)
Initial Investment: $5,000
Operating Costs: $500 (maintenance)
Total Costs: $5,500
Conclusion:
In the case above, the payback period for a solar pool
heating is around 3 years, and the savings for a 10 years period
around $7000…
PS:
Since the span life of a solar pool heating system (20 years, or
so) is higher than the span life of a Gas Pool Heating System,
the savings would continue for more a much wider period.
See, for more information:
Basics of solar pools systems
Sizing solar pool heating
collectors
Manufacturers of solar pool
collectors
Manufacturers of pool
covers
Sizing of pipes and pumps for
solar pools
Solar Pool collectors
technology
See also:
For information on state and municipal incentives in USA, see:
Database of State Incentives
for Renewables and Efficiency
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