[Greenbuilding] Low powered (wattage) water heaters available through Hydro Quebec

[Corwyn]

On 12/29/2011 6:36 PM, Reuben Deumling wrote:
> Interesting graph-thanks for that. One wonders if smaller resistive
> water heaters (fewer gallons and/or lower wattage elements) wouldn't
> also achieve this.
>
> My main concern with the incrementalist approach (three element el.
> resistance water heaters, hybrid cars, high performance NG furnaces,
> etc.) is that what we really should be transitioning to are (renewably
> powered DHW, cargo bicycles, wood furnaces, etc.). Once someone is
> persuaded to fork over X thousand dollars for some of this incrementally
> better/less bad technology they will hope and expect to at least
> amortize it before or in lieu of switching to the more radical version.
> This makes it harder and slower to transition, and fools people into
> thinking that the problems we're up against are really smaller/solved
> with incremental upgrades. We also grind up a bunch more resources and
> materials for technologies that are, simply, too incremental, that offer
> so little net improvement as to be misleading.

Well put.  The only reason to use a incremental technology is if the 
eventual technology isn't ready.  But for hot water, it is.  It doesn't 
make any sense to buy a brand new water heater which is 5% better when 
you can get one which is 300% better.

Thank You Kindly,

Corwyn


-- 
Topher Belknap
Green Fret Consulting
Kermit didn't know the half of it...
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topher at greenfret.com
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