Six Weeks of Solar Hot Water: Let's Work Together for Change!

Example SHW Installation - from PAW

Despite the growing awareness of the benefits of solar energy, Solar Thermal has never really caught on here in North America. Yet Solar Thermal is one of Renewable Energy's best-proven and most economical installation options for homeowners and commercial buildings.

I believe that we need to start actively motivating individuals to embrace Solar Thermal. North America is ready for Energy change, but we need to get the message out – and we can’t wait on industry groups.

Can you help?

Thanks to some friendly encouragement from REW and the recent buzz of activity here around solar hot water, I'm planning a new series of blog posts that are aimed at helping the SHW industry grow. These "Six Weeks of Solar Hot Water" articles are proudly sponsored by Alpha Thermal Systems (a Plug & Play SHW Systems client) in Massachusetts.

Each week, I'll write about the tools, resources and marketing techniques that help solar thermal commercial and residential installers create new and better business.

At the end of the six weeks, I will compile all of the posts (along with your critical feedback) into “The Solar Hot Water Marketing Guide” – a free and available PDF aimed at promoting solar thermal.

While I already have compiled a short list of key topics (web/marketing, estimating prices, profiles in courage, system design and online monitoring), I want to poll the community here for your thoughts. Please give me your opinion on:

What changes/plans/conversations are need to make Solar Hot Water grow?
What’s the best example(s) of solar/thermal marketing you’ve ever seen?
Do we need a campaign to distinguish Solar Thermal from PV?
Is it time for SHW to agressively market/compete against residential and commercial oil prices?

If you want to learn more background about the issues, be sure to check out Solar Fred's “Stepchild” and “Mainstream” posts, my own article on KISS SHW, Eric Paul's article on “The Other Solar” and Pamela Cargill's study on “Consumer Attitudes Toward Solar.” Where does your business fit in this conversation?

Why do I care about SHW? Aside from a personal interest in environmentally sustainable practices, my company CartaNova Web Design & Marketing exclusively works with green business firms and we've had a core clientele in SHW for many years.

As someone who has the benefit of looking in, I feel that SHW industry (in general) has been held back by fixable problems like industry in-fighting, scattered marketing and disparate technical certifications. I believe that there is market opportunity (and pressing environmental need) to grow proven, widely distributable RE technologies like Solar Thermal in the US and Canada. I'm hoping that voices like mine – and yours – can move this industry forward.

Thanks!

*Example SHW Installation, courtesy of PAW