Solar 80 Gallon Hot Water Tank: Saves 5,840 Pounds of Burning Coal a Year (2008)

A Solar 80 gallon hot water tank may not seem like a lot, but 80 gallons is what the average American family of four in the United States uses every day. Between baths and showers, cooking and dishes, and everything else 80 gallons a day is about right. What most people don't understand is the stunning amount of coal that has to be burned in order to heat all that water.

To heat 80 gallons of water so it's hot, you have to burn 16 pounds of coal. That means if you have a solar collector powered hot water tank, you can prevent 5,840 pounds of coal from being burned a year. Yes, nearly three tons. That is why a solar 80 gallon hot water tank is being seen as an increasingly popular home improvement addition to any house. That water tank can supply anywhere from 60-95% of this energy completely pollution free.

Beyond that there is just the bottom line. That type of energy savings will save the owners and average of $250 a year or even more. As energy prices climb, that level of savings will certainly continue to climb, as well. These are large pieces of equipment, and while prices can vary, there are several good models that can be found for right around the $1,000 mark.

This is money that will be made back easily in a couple of years, and that's not even taking into account the families that use more water than this or the fact that energy prices are going to continue to keep climbing while energy from the sun remains free of charge.

While the design specs of a solar 80 gallon hot water tank + collector will vary from producer to producer, most will be built of stainless steel, have several inches of insulation for the optimum retention of heat, and be designed to be extremely efficient and cost effective, as well. Like most items being introduced in the solar power market, these tanks are also able to be used in conjunction with a second tank that uses either electric, gas, oil, or wood as a back up heating source.

As the energy prices continue to increase, and solar technology continues to prove its worth, it's likely that the solar 80 gallon hot water tanks will continue to grow in popularity.