“Clean” technology already used in many homes in Bahia

Audionota: Guillermo Crisafulli

By Pablo Andrés Alvarez / [email protected]

Installing equipment to generate clean energy has sparked interest from businesses and families during isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Although at the beginning of the quarantine the demand decreased, over the months the consultations increased, as can be seen from a simple visit to the city, where solar water heaters for domestic hot water, collection systems and the production of electrical energy by photovoltaic panels and solar collectors for heating swimming pools are already beginning to be seen in greater numbers.

“It is important that people care about sustainable development and choose these systems to meet their current needs without compromising future generations. I believe that having so crushed in schools with the care of the environment is starting to bear fruit, ”said Walter Roncatto, industrial engineer and teacher of technical schools 1, 2 and 4 in our city.

It is precisely the new generations who are inclined towards these options, as well as those which favor the sorting of waste at source and those which are inclined towards recyclable products.

“What sells the most are solar water heaters because it is not as big an investment as it is assumed and it ends up paying off in a short period of time because it produces immediate results,” said the head of a company on the ground, which has already been opened. almost two years in the university district.

As he pointed out, a product of this type ranges from 44 to 72 thousand pesos, depending on the storage capacity.

“To this must be added the labor for the placement and the necessary inputs, but in total it should not exceed 120,000 pesos,” he said.

Walter Roncatto debunked the myth that low temperatures in Bahia cause solar water heaters to not perform well in winter.

“They work very well at this time of year, although it is true that a change in customs is called for. For example, it is better to bathe during the day and avoid excessive water consumption at night, ”he explained.

As he said, it works with glass chambers, which take advantage of the temperature provided by solar radiation and accumulate it in the tank. Therefore, it is difficult to replace it at night.

But there are also many other products that allow the use of solar energy.

“We also have photovoltaic cells or solar panels to generate electricity, but these require a significant investment,” he was mentioned.

In electronics, a photoelectric cell or a photovoltaic cell is an electronic device that converts the incident energy of solar radiation into electricity through the photovoltaic effect.

“Photovoltaic cells are electrical mechanisms or devices that manage to transform light energy into electrical energy. In other words, they are devices that generate electricity when sunlight hits or falls on them. Some companies are implementing them, but I haven’t seen a lot of them in homes, ”Roncatto said.

One of the downsides is the space required. For a typical house, it is necessary to have about 30 square meters of free space for the installation of the panels.

Many residents of Bahia were inclined to invest in solar collectors to heat swimming pools.

“It’s a very efficient flat system. It is a kind of pipe, different from the regular irrigation. It calmly reaches 30 to 35 degrees. Everything will depend on the size of the pool and where the coiled hoses are located, ”said the teacher.

According to the trade, they detailed that for this last segment, not only panels are used, but also solar covers placed on the roof.

“A system of pipes is in place. Water penetrates through the covers and causes the temperature to rise. This system also incorporates a device that can regulate and control the temperature of the swimming pool, ”they reported.

The cost of this equipment depends on the size of the pools, but it is estimated that for a pool 3.5 meters wide by 6 long it is around $ 2,200 plus VAT. The complete system, added to the installation, depends on the path of the water between the pumping system and the roof where the solar covers are installed.

There is also a system for heating homes, of the boiler type, by means of a heat pump which uses air and depends on the external climatic conditions or on geothermal energy (a heat pump with water coming from the inside of the basement).

“After making the investment, there are hardly any expenses. These systems have a lifespan of approximately 25 to 30 years. These systems are very advantageous for the more remote districts, which do not have gas through the network and the costs are very high during the acquisition in bottle. If you get the numbers, it will surely be practical for you to use these resources that nature provides, ”said Roncatto.