Solar Water Heating Innovation Sun Bandit Turns Four Declaring Articles of Energy Independence
Lafayette, CO (PRWEB) July 04, 2017 -- Builders, contractors and clean energy consumers across the continent are joining the solar engineering experts at Next Generation Energy in celebrating the 4th Anniversary of Sun Bandit by highlighting four Declarations of Energy Independence Sun Bandit brings to the solar hot water marketplace. Sun Bandit is the world’s first ICC SRCC-certified PV-powered solar hybrid water heating solution.
Sun Bandit’s articles of Energy Independence embrace: 1) Independence from the freezing and mechanical issues plaguing old-school solar water heating; 2) Grid independence; 3) Independence from pollution and the adverse health effects fossil fuel-fed energy plants impose on our planet and its people; and 4) Financial independence, in terms of both Return on Solar Investment (ROSI) and immunity from rising utility bills.
“With help from our growing network of smart, forward-thinking contractors, engineers, energy experts and policymakers, Sun Bandit is redefining solar water heating as we know it,” said Next Generation Energy CEO Dave Kreutzman.
Sun Bandit’s Declaration of Energy Independence articulates a versatile value proposition that includes:
ARTICLE 1: Independence from Freezing and the Ongoing Maintenance Issues Plaguing Old-School Solar Water Heating – The seeds for Sun Bandit were sown on July 4, 2013, when Next Generation Energy (NGE) launched an all-hands-on-deck effort to identify and clear many of the hurdles inhibiting widespread solar water heating adoption. In response, a PV-powered solar water heating solution was forged that eliminates fluids, leaks, pump stations, overheating, stagnation, freezing and the complicated installation and maintenance issues that can plague traditional mechanical solar water heating systems.
Sun Bandit recently demonstrated its tolerance to freezing by serving as the primary heat source for the first off-grid photovoltaic (PV) solar water heating solution to heat water, channel stored energy into radiant heating and hydroponically grow fresh vegetables in sub-zero temperatures – NORTH of the Arctic Circle.
ARTICLE 2: Grid Independence – Sun Bandit’s patented, PV-powered solar hybrid water heating systems are grid-independent, requiring no long waits for utility approval and no binding contracts. Sun Bandit can meet up to 100% of a home or business’s hot water needs by harnessing free energy from the sun whenever it’s available. On days when the sun doesn’t shine (or during power outages), Sun Bandit optimizes energy production by toggling to one of an arsenal of built-in back-up and storage options. In on- and off-grid situations, Sun Bandit can be configured with a small wind turbine or battery storage and use grid-fed electricity, natural gas and propane as back-up to reliably deliver hot water when it’s needed.
Sun Bandit works independent of the grid, but is PV-module agnostic. It can share rooftop space with existing grid-tied PV solutions, offering a seamless, aesthetically-pleasing rooftop or terrestrial array for residential, multi-family and commercial property owners. Sun Bandit is a featured product of the Practical Preppers network.
ARTICLE 3: Energy Independence from Fossil Fuel Pollutants – Heating water is the second-largest energy expense in most households. According to EnergyStar.gov, using Energy Star-certified solar water heaters to heat or preheat water not only cuts energy bills by 50 percent or more, it prevents up to 4,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually – per household!
Energy Star-listed Sun Bandit is working with Passive House Institute (PHIUS) builders, contractors and homeowners on a shared vision to deliver high-performance clean tech solutions that save money, allow people to live more comfortably and reduce the carbon emissions that are polluting our environment and contributing to climate change.
Unlike heat pump water heaters, Sun Bandit is silent. It has no moving parts and no adverse impact on air quality. As Leigha Dickens of Deltec Homes notes, “It’s a trouble-free solar water heating system that makes achieving net zero easier.”
ARTICLE 4: Financial Independence – With dropping module prices and a 30% federal Investment Tax Credit, the value proposition for Sun Bandit’s brand of PV-powered solar water heating has never been better. There are many variables to consider in the payback equation. Geography, climate, local electricity rates, the availability of local and state incentives, household energy consumption, maintenance needs. Sun Bandit delivers across that entire spectrum. It’s performing in geographically-diverse markets from Alaska to St. Croix. And Sun Bandit’s value proposition is proving itself in US states with the highest electricity rates (Hawaii) and those where rates are among the lowest (Idaho).
As newly-elected president of the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association (FlaSEIA), Solar Trek, Inc. President Patrick Altier sees the potential of Sun Bandit to drive incremental revenue for plumbers, electricians, PV and traditional solar water heating professionals. “Until recently, PV-powered water heating was considered expensive,” said Altier. “But with a 25-year warranty on PV modules versus the 10-year warranty of traditional solar thermal collectors, a 30% tax credit, freeze-resistant properties and low-maintenance configuration, the value proposition is believable; it’s a no-brainer. What Sun Bandit is doing is great for the industry,” Altier noted. “There are going to be a lot of winners here.”
Added Next Generation Energy’s Kreutzman: ”It’s been a year since Sun Bandit celebrated turning three with 10 Solar Milestones. We’re celebrating four with more: more weather-resistant, maintenance-free dependability; more innovation and versatility in Sun Bandit’s heating and storage capabilities; more simplified installation, pricing and product selection – and more confidence that Sun Bandit can deliver free hot water and stored energy in even the most difficult conditions.”
About Next Generation Energy's Sun Bandit®: Sun Bandit is a trademark-registered, patented product innovation of Colorado-based Next Generation Energy (NGE®), whose expertise in PV, solar thermal and off-grid system design and engineering have been delivering high-performing, money-saving renewable energy solutions to commercial, utility-scale, governmental, individual and multi-family housing interests for over 30 years. Learn more by calling 877-NGE-4SUN – or visit http://www.ngeus.com. Find Sun Bandit at http://www.sunbandit.us.
Terri Steele for, Sun Bandit, A Next Generation Energy Innovation, http://www.sunbandit.us, +1 (858) 220-3317, [email protected]
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