The Feasibility of a Multiple Residence Solar Energy System

The search for new sources of energy to replace dwindling supplies of petroleum and natural gas has become a major national priority. Solar heat is widely discussed as a new source of energy in a variety of settings. Solar space heating appears to be on the horizon, but the economic potential of generating electricity from solar sources is very much an open question. Large scale, central generation of electricity from solar sources is and will remain unacceptable for some time because extremely large fields of collectors are essential to harness the quantities of solar heat required. On-site solar generation of electricity, however, might prove a more feasible alternative. An on-site system eliminates land acquisition costs because collectors can be built into the rooftops of buildings. In addition, solar heat collected on site can be more efficiently utilized because residual heat unusable for electrical generation is employed for space heating. Single family homes must be ruled out since the high temperatures and complicated equipment involved in on-site generation make it infeasible for operation. Thus, our attention for on-site solar generation of electricity must focus on multiple-unit dwellings, and commercial and industrial applications. This article attempts to estimate the economic feasibility of an on-site solar energy system which uses presently available technology for this type of development. The Total Solar Energy System (TSES) discussed, would generate electricity and provide space heating and cooling for twenty housing units, totalling 40,000 square feet, on a single site in piedmont North Carolina. The design requirements of the TSES are explained, then an approximation of the economic feasibility is presented