Low-Cost Flat Panel Solar Hot Water Heaters

The U.S. Department of Energy is currently seeking technologies that can significantly decrease the cost of solar hot water heating systems. Mainstream Engineering Corporation is proposing to develop a low- cost, highly efficient solar collector that will significantly reduce the installed cost of solar water heating systems. Our proposed design eliminates a major design flaw with existing collector configurations, has a lower profile compared to existing designs, and has lightweight construction. The unit will be constructed with lightweight, low-cost materials which allow the unit to be very robust and easy to handle and install. Finally, our solar collector is expected to surpass efficiencies associated with existing solar collector designs. In Phase I, Mainstream will optimize the solar collector design and quantify the units efficiency. In Phase II, we will develop a production ready unit and conduct long term testing. Mainstream has been a leader in the development of advanced thermal systems for over 25 years and has all of the engineering, production, and marketing experience to transition this concept to a successful commercial product.