THE TIME HAS COME

摘要

Solar heating, often overshadowed by photovoltaic systems, is the most cost-effective on-site renewable energy resource. It presents vast opportunity for public and private organizations to save on fossil fuels, cut costs, and reduce carbon emissions. The technical potential for solar water heating in the United States is about one quadrillion Btu of energy savings per year, worth $8 billion of energy costs and 50 million to 75 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, some 67 percent of the nation's commercial buildings have rooftops available for solar water heating, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.