The state of Hawaii has become the first in North America to require solar water heaters in new homes. The bill, signed into law by Republican Governor Linda Lingle this week, prohibits issuing building permits for single-family homes that do not have solar water heaters.

All new homes will be required to have the energy-saving systems installed starting in 2010. Exceptions will be made for houses in heavily forested areas. But the move to force solar heating is a big step for a state that relies heavily on imported fossil fuels for 90% of its supply.

Conventional water heaters are typically the largest electricity consumer in the average household, gobbling up nearly 40% of consumption. The measure was first introduced five years ago when a barrel of oil cost just $40. Since then, the price has more than tripled. Solar water heaters can be complex systems or simple cheap models. Here’s how you make one for $5. The government also has a good site on how solar water heaters work.

Not surprisingly, builders and developers were against the bill, saying it would add too much to the cost of new home constructions. But surprisingly, another opponent was the Hawaii Solar Energy Association. Last April, in a story in the Star Bulletin, Ron Richmond, with the association, said the new legislation would cost homebuyers about $2,100 more to have the solar water heaters installed. The average solar water heater, according to the article, currently costs about $5,250, before rebates.

Via ENN, GoSunSolutions; Photo via Skyseeker, Conscientious

Comments (13)

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written by EV , July 03, 2008

Conventional water heaters are typically the largest electricity consumer in the average household, gobbling up nearly 40 per cent of consumption.

Are you sure about that?
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/recs/recs2001/enduse2001/enduse2001.html
Water Heating 9.1%

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written by Craig , July 03, 2008

bloody brilliant - now if only New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona etc would follow suit - infact the entire country should.

Why use up good land making Solar/Wind farms or coal plants to power a house, when said house has a perfectly good roof where it can produce it's own energy.

Instead of solar how about this
written by Ken , July 03, 2008

www.airgenerate.com

A heat-pump water heater add-on.

kudos to Hawaii
written by Melissa , July 03, 2008

Very glad to hear about this legislation and hope other states follow suit. Even climates that are not considered conducive to solar energy (like the Pacific Northwest) are perfectly suitable.

These kinds of mandates should be standard construction policy, particularly for industrial and corporate buildings since those entities can afford solar panels more readily than the individual homeowner.

There's no reason a multi-billion dollar company shouldn't be mandated to have solar-powered plants and/or offices.

Australia going down the same path
written by Alexander Kohl , July 03, 2008

In Australia we've got the same plans. Great to see that one of the US states is starting to do that, too. I am sure others will follow.

Wow
written by Jan Woods , July 04, 2008

Yeah, OK whatever. Good luck with that. Next thing you know our Dictatorship will be telling us on what days and times we can leave our homes.

JT
www.FireMe.To/udi

What next?
written by i lasered my pubes , July 04, 2008

how about ice powered refrigerators for eskimos?

blogger
written by Mary , July 04, 2008

Hi,
I liked your article which I found on DIgg. I copied and gave you credit on my column www.myitthings.com/photoqueen
I also did a reddit on it. Hope this helps more people discover you. Come visit and leave a message. Mary

change....
written by solar rocks , July 04, 2008

Change is good...we will either suffer through this oil crisis or have the grace to make it through with changing the way we consume it. If we can embrace this change for the good, then both the environmentally aware and those concerned with oil prices will be happy. Sounds like knocking out 2 birds with one stone to me

systems aren't that expensive
written by SolarDave , July 07, 2008

I don't think that the average residential solar water heater should be $5200. Since they don't need to worry about freezing temperatures, that makes the system a lot simpler. Unless they have some crazy labor costs, I don't know why a single 4'x10' collector on the roof would cost more than $4000 (or maybe $3500 for an "ICS" collector). Given the cost of energy in Hawaii, I don't see why solar isn't on every home already!

discrepency with percent household energ
written by Matt Foster , July 08, 2008

I found this site that says water heaters comprise 11 percent of an average household's energy use.

http://www.greenerchoices.org/energytips.cfm

Whether it be nine, 11 or 40 percent, this legislation is a significant positive move, especially when you consider the political allignment of the governor of Hawaii.

Good idea in Hawaii. Bad idea in northe
written by Sean , July 15, 2008

now if only New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona etc would follow suit - infact the entire country should.

Yeah, that will work out really well in Wisconsin where we will have tanks freezing on our roofs.

a step in the right direction
written by Eco Home Plans , August 04, 2008

Though I'm not generally a fan of forced government policy, this seems like a much needed step in the right direction.

Charles Precht
Sustainable Design
www.sustainablehomeplans.com

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