SunWater Solar and TNDC commission two solar water-heating systems

SAN FRANCISCO, USA: SunWater Solar Inc. and Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp. (TNDC) announced new solar thermal systems at two affordable housing buildings in the heart of San Francisco's Tenderloin District. The two systems, consisting of 40 solar collectors and 24 collectors, respectively, garnered a total of $85,867 in California Solar Initiative-Thermal (CSI-Thermal) rebates. One hundred percent of this rebate money was used to fund system components and installation.

The solar water-heating systems are one element of TNDC's Green Retrofit Initiative, an effort aimed at making TNDC buildings more energy efficient. Co-sponsored by the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Housing (MOH) and Enterprise Community Partners, the initiative also included boiler replacements, and the installation of energy-efficient lighting and low-flow showerheads and toilets. Fine Line Construction of San Francisco was the general contractor for the project.

"The San Francisco MOH and Enterprise Community Partners structured the financing in such a way that these solar water-heating installations are a highly cost-effective means of reaching Green Retrofit Initiative goals," said Don Falk, TNDC executive director. "The technology makes sense from both a financial and an environmental perspective."

"Solar thermal systems can greatly reduce water-heating bills for large, low-income housing buildings," said Justin Weil, president of SunWater Solar. "With CSI-Thermal rebates currently funding roughly 30 percent of system cost, it's a sound business decision to invest now in the technology."

"It's exciting to see non-profit organizations such as TNDC benefiting from the CSI-Thermal incentive program," said Nick Stimmel, senior program manager at Pacific Gas & Electric. "PG&E encourages other owners of affordable housing buildings to consider solar thermal for their own properties."