EnerWorks has brought a new level of functionality to solar water heating with the introduction of its new Thermal Energy Controller and Thermal Energy Monitor, enhancing not only current uses, but also facilitating future applications.

The Controller is integrated into the Energy Pack mounted on a solar hot water storage tank as part of an EnerWorks residential solar water heating appliance. It directs and monitors the appliance, ensuring optimized performance. It also controls the pump within the appliance, enabling the future inclusion of secondary applications such as pool or space heating.

“The Controller is designed to maximize the potential of solar energy over the long lifetime of the appliance,” say Ken Arnold, EnerWorks Senior VP Corporate Development. “In its development, we considered what the homeowners’ needs might be now and in the future, and have simplified the process for meeting those additional capabilities.”

Included with the residential solar water heating appliance, EnerWorks’s new wireless Thermal Energy Monitor enables the homeowners to see the benefits of solar water heating. The Monitor communicates directly with the Controller and is portable or can be wall-mounted, enabling homeowners to view system performance from anywhere in their house. Additional Monitors are also available to further enhance convenience.

“Homeowners want to see the economic and environmental benefits of heating their water using solar energy,” says Phil Whiting, EnerWorks President and CEO. “The Thermal Energy Monitor readily shows these concrete results and offers the convenience of a portable, hand-held device.”

“Besides the immediate validation it offers homeowners,” adds Arnold, “the Monitor will be perfect for utilities that are looking to measure in-field performance, sell energy and quantify emission reductions for larger solar hot water deployment initiatives.”

At the touch of a button, the homeowner can scroll through output displays including daily, monthly, annual and lifetime dollar savings, energy produced and reduction in carbon dioxide emissions as solar energy displaces traditional fuel sources. They can also check the current temperature of the appliance and the water it is heating.

“Savings quickly start to accumulate and reinforce the decision to go with solar water heating,” says Arnold.

The Controller is able to run off AC mains power or a 12V DC solar PV panel and features a large display screen with iconic indicators of the system status. Displays include the amount of energy produced, money saved and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from displacing traditional fuel sources with solar energy.

Depending upon the type of fuel used, water heating in the average home produces close to two tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. A two-collector EnerWorks residential solar water heating appliance saves over one ton of this from going into the atmosphere each year.

Over the course of its long operational life, the total reduction in emissions, per collector, can add up to over 12 tons.