Six Weeks of Solar Hot Water, Part III: Get Your Free Marketing Materials Here!

With the ASES Solar 2011 Show coming up, it is time for my third post in my “Six Weeks of Solar Hot Water” series!

My earlier posts “Can you help?” and “Heroes” have generated some great engaged critical conversation. Thanks to everyone who participated and left their feedback and ideas on how to grow the Solar Hot Water industry. With those initial discussions underway, I would now like to share some free resources—videos, guides, and marketing resources—from my research into the state of solar hot water today.  The best of these links will make it into my future “Solar Hot Water Marketing Guide” PDF.

Solar-tastic in China from Greenpeace China on Vimeo.

A big thanks again to Alpha Thermal Systems of Webster, MA for sponsoring this industry-wide conversation on growing SHW in North America. You can find ATS at PAW booth #217 at the Solar 2011 show in Raleigh, NC starting on Wednesday.

ATS has told me that they are planning a new promotion for their popular FlowCon C and C+ solar pump modules. Contact them and mention this article for an advance discount as ATS is eager to discuss the time-saving benefits of “plug and play” solar hot water with more installers. Also a note of thanks to Matt Carlson of Sunnovations for sharing his thoughts on the industry with me shortly after the first post in this series.

Part III: Free Videos, Resources and Guides to use in Promoting Solar Hot Water

Videos

• Almost Everyone has a Solar Water Heater in Dezhou China (plus article)
• Solar “Cuz it’s Hot” (Fun? Painful? Short by Delta County Film Collective)
• Gasland (2010) Trailer (For why we need Solar Energy alternatives)
• SHW Video (How-it-Works, Created by students at Bowdoin College)
• Active Solar Water Heating (Animated short – How-it -Works)       
• Solar Water Heating (Animated short - How It Works)
• Simple Solutions - Solar Hot Water Instructional Video (with actors and animation)
• How Solar Panels Can Create Domestic Hot Water (from Ireland)
• Interview with Environment California's Clean Energy Program Director Bernadette Del Chiaro about Solar Hot Water
• The Past and Future of SHW (Interview with John Perlin)

Articles on Marketing Solar Hot Water

• Solar Hot Water: Keep it Simple (and Smart!)
• How Showers and Cold Beer: Consumer Attitudes toward Solar
• Beer, Donuts and Marketing
• Basics on web/marketing theory from my own blog at CartaNova

Guides, Articles, and Industry Reports

• The Other Solar: Solar Water Heating
• Smart, Clean and Ready to Go (Environment Maine)
• Solar BC Site (By the BC Sustainable Energy Foundation)
• Solar Hot Water Systems (Information from the Ontario Government)
• Canadian Solar Industries Association
• Energy Savers – US Department of Energy (Site and Guide)
• Solar Water Heater (SWH) Owner's Guide (Info. from the Australian Government)
• Solar Hot-Water Heating Systems Roundup (Article by Joe Provey)          
• Solar Hot Water Basics (Article by John Patterson)
• Solar Water Heaters: What are the Benefits? (Article by Larry West)

Summary

I have said it before, and I will say it again: I believe that we need to start actively motivating individuals to embrace Solar Hot Water. North America is ready for Energy change, but we need to get the message out—and we can’t wait on industry groups.

I hope that these videos, reports and “proof points” on Solar Hot Water are useful to you and your clients!