Now that we’ve installed our rooftop solar array it’s time to put all of the electricity to use and lower our dependence on fossil fuels. Here are a few projects and purchases to maximize our use of our solar electricity and reduce our use of propane (a fossil fuel).

1. Hot Water – from propane to electric

One way we are doing this is by decoupling our indirect hot water tank and installing a heat pump hot water heater.

Right now our system consists of a propane-burning boiler for heat and hot water. This means we end up running the boiler even in the summer as it maintains the water temperature in the indirect hot water tank.

How Rheem Prestige Series Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater Works

Benefits of the Hybrid Hot Water Heater

• $750 Rebate from NHSaves program
• 30% tax credit from the Inflation Reduction Act
• 4x as efficient as a standard electric hot water heater!
• 75% reduction in energy use
• My propane boiler doesn’t have to run in the summer
• Cools the hot utility room
• Saves a ton of money on the electric bill
• Scheduling and monitoring via the app
• Vacation mode – can use the app to shut down the system while away

The energy savings are off the scale! Usually, you see the appliance fall somewhere along the scale, but $155 is less than the closest competitor at $191. This hybrid hot water tank will pay for itself in just a few years.

The new hybrid hot water heater seemed to be about as tall as the old indirect hot water tank, but it’s fatter.

Does it make the room colder?

A hybrid hot water tank marries a heat pump to a conventional electric element. Heat pumps work by extracting heat out of the surrounding space. You can use the ambient air in the room or add ducting and suck in air from another room or the outside. On the “exhaust” side of the fan, cold air will blow when the heat pump is running.

In our situation, the hybrid hot water tank was installed in our utility room which is typically very warm. I welcome it being a bit cooler for the health of the Tesla Power Wall that is installed in that room.

How much cooler does the hybrid hot water tank make that room? On day one the tank ran most of the day warming up the water from very cold well water (we are on a community water supply but it comes from well water) — the room dropped down to about 66 degrees. Then once all of the water in the tank was hot, the fan only came on occasionally and the room got up to 73 degrees. The next morning after showers used 1/3 of the tank, the room dropped by only one or two degrees.

The result will vary on where you place the tank. You are required to have a room that is 7 x 10 x 10 feet or equivalent and if the room drops by more than 15 degrees when running, it should be opened up more with louvered doors or vented.

Solar Power Plus Hybrid Hot Water Tank

When one installs solar, the next step is to try to maximize one’s use of all that electricity produces, in the most efficient way. One of the biggest challenges is to put it to use creating heat. By using your solar electricity to heat the air and hot water in your home, you reduce your fossil fuel usage, reduce your carbon footprint, reduce your fuel bills, and of course save money.

Heat pumps and hybrid hot water tanks provide highly efficient ways to cleanly convert electricity into heat and hot water.

Bonus: Dehumidifying

One of the side benefits of a heat pump is the dehumidifying effect. As the fan pushes air across the elements, moisture is extracted. This requires a place near the hot water heater to drain excess water – ours is pumped over to the washing machine outlet – but it has the added benefit of keeping your basement dryer. In the summer I’ll probably switch it on to full hybrid mode and enjoy the cooling aspect as well as the drying aspect.

2. Heat – Wood Stove Install

We took several trees down to get more sun on our solar panels. As a result, we ended up with several cords of firewood so we converted our inefficient downstairs open fireplace with a high-efficiency MF Fire Nova Wood Burning Stove – https://mffire.com/product/nova-wood-burning-stove/

As a 2020 EPA-compliant product, we’ll enjoy a clean, efficient burn with a Nova small wood-burning stove which qualifies for a Federal Tax credit via the IRA (climate change) Act for bio-mass burning appliances.

The August 16, 2022, signing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), high-efficiency biomass heating products once again qualify for a tax credit under Section 25(C) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC” or “tax code”).

This new 30 percent tax credit – capped at $2,000 annually – is available for appliances installed between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2032. The credit can be used on the purchase and installation costs of qualifying appliances. To be eligible for the tax credit, an appliance must have a thermal efficiency of at least 75 percent per the higher heating value (HHV) of the fuel.

3. Energy Star Dehumidifier

4. House Wrap and Insulation

The IRA Act covers insulation, chalk, house wrap, and any other purchase of materials used to make your home more airtight.

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Home Improvements That Qualify

Your home’s envelope includes the outer walls, windows, doors, and other openings. Upgrading your home’s envelope can improve the efficiency of your home and can qualify for the following tax credits:  

• Windows, Doors, and Skylights – If you replaced any windows, doors, or skylights—or installed new ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR label—you may be eligible for a tax credit of 10 percent of the cost (not including installation) on up to $200 for windows and skylights and up to $500 for doors. You can also claim the credit if you installed a window or door where there was not one previously. 
• Insulation – Typical bulk insulation products, such as batts, rolls, blow-in fibers, rigid boards, expanding spray, and pour-in-place, can qualify for 10 percent of the cost, up to $500—not including installation costs. If you choose to install the insulation/home sealing products yourself, you can still get the credit. 
• Products that air seal  – Products that  reduce air leaks can also qualify, as long as they come with a Manufacturer’s Certification Statement, including:
  • Weatherstripping 
  • Spray foam in a can, designed to air seal 
  • Caulk designed to air seal 
  • House wrap   

5. Induction Cook Top

We’re adding a portable induction cook top to our kitchen to cut down on our use of propane (a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change). Our first use will be on the deck for cooking lobster. Since it’s portable, it can go anywhere there is a plug.