Solar equipment supplier and system developer, Zimmer America Solar Power (www.zimmer-solar.com), in collaboration with Waldrop’s Heating & Air Solar Division (www.waldropinc.com), is proud to announce that the installation of yet another highly efficient, closed loop, glycol solar water heating  system has been completed at the recently renovated Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport facility. The system is designed to deliver 80% of the energy needed to heat an estimated 29,200 gallons of water per year for the kitchen, janitorial and bathroom sinks as well as the sinks and showers in the pilot lounge area.

The system will pay for itself by saving ~4,850 kWh of conventional energy, while reducing the carbon footprint of the facility by approximately 1.5 tons of green house gas emissions per year. This is equivalent to planting 0.34 acres of carbon absorbing forest.

Two state-of-the-art solar thermal collectors type ZSP-1200, which Zimmer distributes in the US and Canadian markets, power the system.  These cost effective, high output collectors are assembled in North America from components manufactured by Austrian based KIOTO Clear Energy, a distinct leader in solar thermal collector design and production, with over 10 million square feet of collectors sold worldwide annually.

The compact size and light weight (41”x76”x3”x62lbs) of the collectors provide for low roof loads and ease of installation. In addition to having received excellent ratings from SRCC (Solar Rating & Certification Corporation, www.solar-rating.org), they come with a 10 year manufacturer’s warranty and a life expectancy of 25 years plus.

The collectors are plumbed to an American made external pump, heat exchange and control station, which transfers the sun’s heat directly into the hot water tank, even on a cloudy day, year round.

An online monitoring system by SunReports displays the system performance while continuously recording its energy production by means of a flow meter and several strategically positioned temperature sensors.

This is the first Solar Thermal system under the newly developed TSPLPA (Thermal Solar Power Lease Purchase Agreement) which Zimmer entered into with the City of Spartanburg.

The airport facility, as the System Host, leases the system and the energy produced from Zimmer, the Solar Service Provider, at a discounted rate for a period of 10 years. At the end of this term, ownership of the system is transferred to the airport facility at which time the system will deliver free solar energy for many years to come.

A TSPLPA by Zimmer America Solar Power provides commercial, industrial and institutional hot water users with an unique opportunity to substantially reduce their energy costs and consumption of carbon-based fuels for heating water. It enables them to install a powerful solar thermal system without incurring the capital outlay for installing a system up front. The system practically pays for itself through the savings it creates, truly a win-win for the environment and all parties involved.