Eco Factor: Ridge vent for standard shingled roof collects solar energy for hot water.
We all want our roofs to harnesses renewable energy for the household. However, not many of us are really interested in getting the entire roof changed for an ugly-looking solar water heater costing thousands of dollars. Greenward has tried to solve the issue with a system that is completely invisible and converts your entire roof into a solar collector.
Dubbed the Greenward Ridge Vent, the device makes use of the heat that rises and flows through it around PEX plastic tubes. The captured heat is transferred to an ethylene glycol and water mixture that is pumped down to a heat exchanger, heating water before it gets to the existing water heater.
The company claims that with an attic temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the Ridge Vent can reduce an average household’s energy consumption by over 12 million BTUs each year, while preventing about 1400 pounds of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere.
Via: Treehugger
