patagoniax wrote:GJJIM wrote: As for solar hot water, forget it. The sun angles down there are too low in the winter to justify the investment.
Actually solar preheaters are coming into use here, and have proven their utility and cost-benefit on an annualised basis. On the other side of the frontier, the Argentines have been doing better research and analysis in this than the chilenos. One of their projects is for installing solar preheaters for rural schools to reduce fuel gas consumption for water heating.
We live at 39 degrees latitude and I looked at adding rooftop solar hot water panels to augment our hydronic heat system. Even with the expensive fuel prices here in the EEUU, the estimated payback time was over 20 years, and it made no sense to spend the money. Performance in the Summer months with a high sun angle was OK, but in the Winter the panels add very few BTUs.
Up in the north of Chile (e.g. Arica) solar hot water is probably a viable option.
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