Chanhassen License Center Solar Water Heater Proposal

Abstract

This project was completed as part of a year-long partnership between Carver County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). Carver County has been exploring opportunities for renewable energy and energy efficiency in county government buildings. The County Licensing Center in Chanhassen was a potential candidate for a renewable energy installation, specifically solar water heating. The goal of the project was to determine the feasibility and potential payback time for installing a solar water heater at the Chanhassen facility rather than natural gas water heating. In collaboration with the county project lead, Nick Koktavy, a team of students in BBE 5733: Renewable Energy Technologies, calculated the energy output needed to support building functions and developed payback timelines. The students concluded a solar water heater was not feasible for this location. A final report and PowerPoint slides from the project are available.