Water heaters are one of the primary power-hungry devices in most households. That’s why the prospect of an affordable solar panel system is particularly exciting. I have always argued that green energy alternatives must be affordable in order to be a viable choice by the masses.
The inflatable SolarStore by British company, IDC, is planned for commercial availability at less than 100 pounds ($200). While most domestic solar systems take 10-20 years to return the initial investment, IDC promises that their system will pay back its cost in six months.
The company press release notes, “Although the SolarStore is inflatable, the structure of the system is strong and robust and it is anchored down by the weight of 30 litres of water. It is manufactured from a heavy-duty polymer that is designed to protect against dirt and rain. SolarStore is an eco-friendly solution, which saves nearly 0.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.”
I think this is great news, and I hope we see more and more such viable environmental alternatives in fashion, technology decor and design.
For consumers in the UK, the SolarStore could provide a cheap source of domestic hot water; with an initial cost of under £100 per product, trial data has shown that the system will pay for itself in only 6 months. This compares extremely favourably to conventional domestic solar hot water systems, which cost in the region of £2000-3000 and have payback times of around 10-20 years. It is anticipated that the product will also be extremely beneficial in developing countries, where a reliable electricity supply can be a problem. Other applications for the SolarStore include hot water for camping and caravanning holidays or for hot water in remote locations.
(idc.uk)
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