The authors walk readers through the investment decisions made when the average American house decides to replace a hot-water heater, and why markets are currently structured to discourage buying more efficient heaters.
Solar thermal heat is ideal as an auxiliary system to existing furnaces and hot water systems -your furnace or water heater operates exactly the same as it always has, coming on and running in response to thermostat settings to keep your house or water heated to the thermostat setting.
Examples of household electrical loads that could be shifted to off-peak hours via an automated or controlled mobile app include charging a plug-in vehicle, running a dishwasher, running a hot water heater, running the refrigerator's defrost cycle and ice-making.