Energy Talk

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For over thirty-five years, the Germany-based company aquatherm has produced the most advanced and environmentally-friendly piping systems in the world, and now the Aquatherm Greenpipe and Climatherm systems are finally available through Aquatherm North America, in the United States and Canada.

Aquatherm Greenpipe is widely recognized by both experts and consumers around the world as one of the safest and longest lasting potable water systems available. Climatherm was developed for applications outside the potable water installation. Climatherm includes all the advantages of Aquatherm Greenpipe, but is engineered and priced for chilled water, hydronic heating, and industrial applications.

Water transfers 3,500 times the energy as the same volume of Air.

Fact: 90% of Americans use forced air to heat and cool commercial and residential space?

Fact: 98% of European commercial and residential utilizes water for heating and cooling.

• Hydronic Heating is so efficient and comfortable because it uses water to transfer heat throughout the building for one good reason….water is the ultimate transfer medium.

• A given volume of water can hold almost 3,500 times as much heat as the same volume of air, for the same temperature rise in each material.

• To equal the amount of heat that could be carried in a 1″ diameter pipe (hydronic heat), you would need a 10 x 18 duct (forced hot air heat).

• Hydronic heating can be easily zoned.

• Indoor air quality has deteriorated because ducted systems repeatedly circulate dust, dirt and impurities back into the house. Hydronic heating systems have little or no air movement.

Solar panels orbiting the Earth and beaming electricity back to the ground sounds Star Trek to me but it’s close to happening. Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and IHI Corp. of Japan recently reached a $21 billion agreement to develop the technology with the hope of being “off the ground” in 30 years.

Unlike terrestrial solar power systems, the one gigawatt station will be able to generate electricity without being dependent on the weather. That’s nice but it is noteworthy that launching something into space and beaming energy back to earth could be expensive. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is planning on launching a small test satellite for the project in 2015. What do you think: Exciting or More Space-Junk?

Stimulus Tax Credits & Rebates
Find out what incentives are available to you for energy efficiency. These sites can help you find the incentives, rebates, and tax credits from your federal, state, and local governments.
Federal Resources http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm
State and Local Government Resources www.dsireusa.org/
Energy Tax Incentives http://www.energytaxincentives.org/

How heat pumps work
An electric heat pump can heat your home during the winter and cool it during the summer. The major parts of a heat pump include:

Compressor: This increases the pressure of the refrigerant so that it will accept the maximum amount of heat from the air.
Condenser: Coils that move heat to or from the outside air.
Evaporator: Coils that move heat to or from the air inside the home.
Air handler: Fan that blows the air into the ducts of the home. Components 1, 2, 3 and 4 are found in all standard air conditioners.
Reversing valve:Changes the heat pump from air conditioning to heating, and vice versa. This is not part of the thermostat.

Federal Tax Credits for Energy EfficiencyHow has the new Stimulus bill affected the tax credits for energy efficient home improvements?
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed a stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) that made some significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. The highlights are:

The tax credits that were previously effective for 2009, have been extended to 2010 as well.
The tax credit has been raised from 10% to 30%.
The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount (ex $300 for a CAC), have been converted to 30% of the cost.
The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for the two years (2009–2010). However, some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum.
The $200 cap on windows has been removed.
All Tax Credit FAQs
UPDATED March 3, 2009

Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency includes:
Tax Credits for Consumers
Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, in 2009 & 2010 (for existing homes only) for:
Windows and Doors
Insulation
Roofs (Metal and Asphalt)
HVAC
Water Heaters (non-solar)
Biomass Stoves
Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, with no upper limit through 2016 (for existing homes & new construction) for:
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Solar Panels
Solar Water Heaters
Small Wind Energy Systems
Fuel Cells
Cars
Tax Credits for Home Builders
Tax Deductions for Commercial Buildings
For More Information http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#c3