Web-based Systems Monitor Solar
"Gold Rush" in California
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 The
SCF deployed several HOBO
U30s to track the efficiency
of solar hot water heaters
in low-income homes across
California.
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When Governor
Schwarzenegger signed the landmark
Solar Water Heating and Efficiency
Act of 2007, he launched the largest
solar water heating program in our
nation’s history. By creating this
program, lawmakers hope to see a
reduction of harmful emissions,
increased energy efficiency and
lower utility bills.
To help alleviate
high energy costs draining
low-income families, the California
Department of Community Services and
Development, and the Southern
California Forum for Energy
Efficiency, Environmental, and Human
Services Providers (SCF) initiated a
renewable energy pilot program. As
part of the program, solar hot water
systems have been installed in 22
low-income, single family homes
across the state.
Funded by the
State Petroleum Escrow Account (PVEA),
this project, in particular, will
monitor each of the study homes’
energy and gas consumption to
determine the efficiency of the
solar hot water heating systems.
Arleen Novotney,
Executive Director of SCF, is
leading the project. “For this
program, we installed solar hot
water systems in various climate
zones across the state and will
monitor the efficiency of the solar
hot water heating systems.”
To monitor system
performance, Novotney chose
web-based HOBO® U30 Remote
Monitoring Systems manufactured by
Massachusetts-based Onset Computer
Corporation. The monitoring system
consists of a GSM cellular-based
data logging unit and sensors that
monitor gas usage, cold and hot
water supply temperature, solar
collector water temperature, and hot
water flow.
The HOBO U30
collects data 24/7 and the
information is accessible
here via the web.
Novotney and her
team can access the data from
Onset's HOBOlink™ website. "With
HOBOlink, we can view the data
anytime, anywhere we have access to
the Internet." says Novotney. "The
ability to view data remotely allows
us to see how the hot water heating
units are performing without having
to go back into the field to
manually collect the data."
According to
Novotney, many factors are being
considered for this study. The
evaluation of these systems will
include a snapshot of the costs
associated with the homeowners’ gas
and electrical usage, as well as the
energy costs following the
installations.
“Since no one in
our state has ever monitored the
natural gas usage associated with a
solar water heating unit, we wanted
to track the consumption of gas when
the solar was on versus when the
solar power was turned off,”
explains Novotney.
So far, the
collected data indicates that the
solar hot water heating systems are
functioning properly.
The HOBO U30,
according to Novotney was
instrumental in determining the
efficiency of the systems. "We chose
the HOBO U30 because of its low cost
and access to the data via the web,"
concludes Novotney.
For more details
on the HOBO U30 Remote Monitoring
System click
here.
To see a guided tour of HOBOlink
click
here.
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