Solar water heating enjoyed a bubble of activity in the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s. Inconsistent product quality, poorly designed policy mechanisms and dropping energy prices caused the market to collapse in the 1980s, leaving only a few based in North America. However, as the following graph demonstrates, there has been substantial growth in China and Europe:
During this time, the technology has improved and new standards have been developed in the USA (67 manufacturers now meet these standards).
A new solar water heating program in the bellwether state of California signals a potential shift in the market across the North American continent. Similar legislative and regulatory initiatives are already underway in other states and at the U.S. federal level.
Could the USA see a rapid growth in solar water heating systems?
Source: Renewable Energy World Read the full article and the reader's comments here.
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