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Rob McMonagle, SolarCity Program Manager, Toronto Atmospheric Fund March 24, 2010

Designing a Building Permit Process for Residential Solar Water Heating. The Toronto Experience (and some international perspectives). Rob McMonagle, SolarCity Program Manager, Toronto Atmospheric Fund March 24, 2010. Solar Permits Overview.

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Rob McMonagle, SolarCity Program Manager, Toronto Atmospheric Fund March 24, 2010

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  1. Designing a Building Permit Process for Residential Solar Water Heating The Toronto Experience (and some international perspectives) Rob McMonagle, SolarCity Program Manager, Toronto Atmospheric FundMarch 24, 2010

  2. Solar Permits Overview Developed by the Toronto Atmospheric Fund (TAF) to share knowledge gained through the largest single-city solar hot water project in Canada (Solar Neighbourhoods). TAF is the City of Toronto’s climate agency. TAF supports the development and implementation of leading-edge ideas with the potential for large emission reductions. TAF is working to support greater deployment of renewable energy in Toronto as a way of helping the City reach its emission reduction targets. Solar Permits is made possible by an investment by the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada.

  3. Webinar Agenda • Introduction to Solar Water Heating • Solar Hot Water – A Brief History • Why Solar? • Understanding the Technology • Toronto’s solar initiative • Regulatory Issues • Institutional barriers • Simplification of processes • Standards • Codes • Bylaws • Backflow Prevention • Roof Structure • The Toronto Process • Certified Plans • Roof Structure Report • Building Permit Application • Plan Review • Building Permit Inspection • Q&As • Info on Future Webinars

  4. An introduction to solar water heating

  5. Solar Technologies • There are four distinct technologies that collect energy from sunlight • Passive Solar – collects heat and light through natural (passive) processes • Photovoltaic or PV – produces electricity directly as a result of the material’s properties • Solar Air – produces hot air for space heating • Solar Water – produces hot water for pools, industry and residential applications • We’re focusing on solar domestic hot water (SDHW)

  6. 1.1 Status of Solar Hot Water Deployment • Solar hot water is the most popular distributed renewable energy technology globally (outside of biomass) but is often overlooked

  7. Sales of Solar Hot Water Collectors in Canada • The “great crash” of 1987 • was due to the sudden cancellation of government programs • resulted in the closing down of 80% of the industry • left a legacy of system failures and an ongoing belief that solar “doesn’t work in Canada”

  8. However Sales Continued to Grow Internationally… Austria - 1 out of 7 homes have SDHW Canada – 1 out of 20,000 homes Austria Canada

  9. In Most Other Countries Austria Spain France Italy

  10. World Solar Thermal Market • Global dominance by China • The North America market is small (2% of global market) • US: 8,000 systems/year • Canada: 600 systems (?)/year

  11. Canada’s Solar ResourceDo we have enough sun? • Southern Germany = 900 kWh/kW

  12. Yes! Better than many of the global solar leaders

  13. 1.2 Why Go Solar? • Two main drivers • Climate Change • Long Term Energy Security

  14. Climate Change Targets • To stabilize CO2 concentration under 400 ppm need to: • Global CO2 emissions peak by 2015 • Reduction of Canada’s energy related CO2 emissions from today’s 15.8 Gt/a to approx. 2 Gt/a by 2050 • Per capita emissions of approx. 1 t CO2/capita t CO2/(Kopf, Jahr)

  15. Heating Domestic Water is a Major Energy Consumer • Hot water can account for 20-25% of the energy needs of an average household • Solar hot water can provide 40-50% of the energy

  16. Residential Hot Water’s Role in CO2 Reductions • SDHW Systems can provide 0.4 – 0.7 t CO2/year reduction in Toronto (but more in high carbon energy jurisdictions) • Over system life (20 years) = 8 -15 t CO2 • It is the single largest action to reduce CO2 that a homeowner can take • Plus it is highly visible (unlike caulking or weather-stripping)

  17. Second Motivator: Global Energy SupplyThe stone age did not end because of a shortage of stone • Non renewable energy sources will eventually run out (5, 10, 20, 50 years...) • We may be in the age of “peak dirty fuels” • Need to begin investing in alternatives

  18. Solar Has Public Support GPC Research – Public Opinion Poll – Oct 05

  19. Canadian Financial Support for Solar Hot Water is Growing • Support has grown rapidly over last the past year. • In 2008 total was $500 • As of May 21 total is now $2,500 (31% of cost) • Typical support internationally is 50%

  20. How Does Solar Hot Water Compare to that “Other” Solar Technology? • 15% of cost and 18% of area for same amount of energy

  21. 1.3 Understanding the Technology • Types of systems are broken down in two areas: • 1. The system type – classified by the type of freeze protection used: • Seasonal – potable water is heated directly – similar to a conventional water heater • Drain Back – water is used as the heat transfer fluid • Closed Loop – an anti-freeze heat transfer fluid is use • 2. The type of solar collector used: • Flat plate • Evacuated tube • Systems types can use either flat plate or evacuated tube collectors

  22. Year-round Systems • Drain back and closed loop systems • Collectors on the roof – tank in the utility room

  23. Solar Hot Water System Schematic (Simplified) Photo Credit: NRCan

  24. Seasonal Systems • Tank is on the roof • Potable water is heated directly (and stored in tank) • Drained in winter • In some climates a seasonal system is used year around – however there is no “automatic” freeze protection

  25. Flat Plate Collectors • There is no consensus of what type of collector is better (flat plate or evacuated tube) • Evacuated tube may work better in marginal light conditions but will not self melt snow cover • Flat plate is less flexible in sizing and if broken will need to replace a larger part of the system

  26. Evacuated Tube Collectors • Each evacuated tube is a separate solar “collector” • Evacuated tubes are connected together using a manifold • The absorber is surrounded by a vacuum which reduces heat loss

  27. 1.4 Toronto’s Solar Initiative • Prior to 2007 30-50 systems were installed in Toronto annually (without building permits) • Austria: 10,000 systems annually for equivalent population base (2.5 million) • Action item from the Climate Change Plan (2007): “develop a pilot residential solar domestic hot water program” • The Toronto Solar Neighbourhoods Initiative was developed to identify challenges and support barrier resolutions • Target of 100 system sales in one neighbourhood • Report will be available later this spring

  28. Accomplished – the Highest Density of SDHW Systems Installed in Canada • 100 SDHW systems sold • 1 in every 150 homes (100/15,000) • Prior to program there were 10 systems in ward (estimated) • If we did this in all of Toronto • 4,400 systems sales • But remember Austria • 1 out of every 7 homes • That level would equal 2,200 installations in one ward!

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