Solar water heating systems, also know as “solar thermal systems,” provide hot water to a home replacing, or augmenting, an existing hot water heating system. In the Park City area, hot water from a solar thermal system is generally used to create hot water for cooking, laundry, bathing and driveway heating. Because of their lower cost and available incentives, these systems are easier for the average homeowner to afford than a photovoltaic system (
solar electric). In Utah, solar hot water heating systems typically satisfy roughly 50% of the annual domestic hot water heating needs.
2013 UPDATE: Harnessing renewable energy in Park City will be a little easier on the pocketbook in 2013. The City Council has agreed to waive up to $1,000 in building and inspection fees for solar photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, and wind energy projects completed in 2013. The fee waiver is available for residential and commercial projects. For larger projects, the first $1,000 in fees would also be eligible for the fee waiver. Click
here for contact info for the Park City Building Department.
Note: the 2013 fee waiver applies to projects completed within Park City Municipal limits (see map). For other local projects that are outside of City Limits, see Summit County's website for info on the permitting process.