Abstract: Solar energy users continue to face long payback periods - from eight years for firms using large amounts of hot water to a 10 to 20 year period for heating, cooling, and other applications. The solar energy industry believes that larger tax incentives, better designs, and increasing prices of conventional energy sources could shorten the payback time if the government will do more to help. DOE demonstration projects could encourage commercialization since all but a few commercial and industrial installations have had either Federal or state funding. Some of the problems inherent in the introduction of a new technology have encouraged some manufacturers to set standards and a code of ethics as a way to combine quality control with competition. Solar hot-water systems are now the most cost-effective and will be the market that is emphasized. The experiences and comments of several firms are noted.
Publication Year: 1979
Publication Date: 1979-11-05
Language: en
Type: article
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