“I love numbers and math, and I wanted to get a real look at our energy use and the solar system’s performance. His Excel spreadsheets are a story of his home’s energy use and patterns, yielding three years (thus far) of valuable knowledge and numbers showing the system is performing even better than predicted. Kettering set out from the beginning to understand the system’s value and performance through precise tracking of all their energy production and use. Most of the year it generates more energy than the house is using, which turns the meter backwards, banking the unused energy with the electric company for later use in that year.ĭr. The Kettering’s PV system consists of 33 solar panels, assembled on the ground, generating 50 kilowatt hours a day, covering 80% of the homes total annual power usage. The direct conversion of sunlight to electricity occurs without any moving parts or environmental emissions during operation. The entire home runs on electricity, which is mostly generated through a separate Photovoltaic (PV) grid-tie energy system, which is a method of converting solar energy into direct current electricity using semi-conducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. On average year round, the solar thermal water system produces about 164,000 btus per day. Kettering’s domestic hot water would be heated via solar thermal, and it would also make a sizable contribution to his space heating,” said Michael. “By using four evacuated tube collector panels, with a total of 120 tubes, we calculated the majority of Dr. And using radiant floors to distribute heat is allot more energy efficient than other choices,” he said.įour Apricus A-30 evacuated tube collectors are located on the roof, facing south, generating energy to produce 100% of the home’s domestic hot water, with a portion of the excess going to the radiant heating system. “The low water temperature a radiant floor requires keeps the solar collectors working efficiently and reduces fuel consumption by the back-up source. “Radiant and solar are a great match especially in areas with high solar fraction like Colorado,” said Michael. The hot water for these systems is mostly supplied by a solar thermal system addition. The smaller sized upstairs is heated by five panel radiators, which are set to the same temperature as the downstairs radiant heating. Michael designed the heating system with Infloor hydronic radiant heating throughout the lower level, with nearly 3,000 feet of ½” BPEX tubing, spaced 9″ OC, divided into four zones. “Electricity is the home’s only power source, with a vast majority of the energy needs being met by solar thermal energy.” “We wanted to build an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient house, with added comfort,” said Dr. “This was one of our more complicated projects, and also one of our more exciting and meaningful ones,” said Michael.Ĭomfort, energy-savings, and low impact were high priorities for the Kettering’s. Infloor President Michael Willburn worked directly with the Kettering’s to design the system of their dreams. They called Infloor Heating Systems to design a heating system that worked with solar thermal energy for their two-story, 3,795 square foot home, powered solely by electricity. Their green-home concept was to reduce their footprint as much as possible, use earth-friendly construction materials, and tap into one of our most powerful and abundant natural resources, the sun, as a clean, renewable energy source to heat water and generate electricity for space heating and general house use. Kettering and his wife Dale built a spacious, comfortable, energy efficient home in picturesque Buena Vista, CO, surrounded by views of 14,000 foot peaks. With his home’s total energy use costing only $800/year, the proof is in the numbers. Gregory Kettering, a popular veterinarian, has returned to share his radiant experience and system success, backed up by three years of incredible tracking and charting of his energy use, costs, and production. March 2015 Project: The Kettering's Electric Home Location: Buena Vista, CO Supplier: Infloor Heating Systems, Hi Valley Supply, Caleffi, Apricus SolarĪn originally designed Infloor Heating System for a Colorado home continues to shine in comfort, performance, low environmental impact, and energy savings.
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