ASPEN, COLO.—Altech Solar recently completed its latest solar installation at the St. Regis Resort in Aspen, Colorado. The St. Regis Resort contracted Altech Solar to install its custom solar thermal technology, which has already dramatically decreased the resort’s dependence on natural gas; the price of which has skyrocketed in recent years.
Using the sun’s energy, more than 1,300 solar e-tubes mounted in solar array panels on the resort’s main building roof heat a liquid solution housed in vacuum tubes, resembling copper and glass torpedoes, to temperatures exceeding more than 2 million BTUs (British Thermal Units) per day. The heated solution circulates through manifolds mounted at the top of the solar array panels. A digital system custom programmed by Altech Solar regulates pumps, valves and water quantity to maintain the desired range of water temperature for each specific use such as domestic hot water for the resort’s guests, the resort’s spa, the heated pool, whirlpools and the snowmelt system.
The resort has made major strides in decreasing its carbon footprint, as the system is expected to decrease its natural gas usage seasonally by as much as 50 percent. As gas prices continue to rise, both Altech Solar and the St. Regis expect a return on the investment of two to four years, including government rebates, tax credits, tax depreciation and current gas prices.
“I am very pleased with the savings they were able to obtain with the limited roof space of the St. Regis, as it is currently the largest solar thermal project in the U.S.,” says Steve Herrera, president of Altech Solar. “Altech Solar is looking forward to its next project—the Grand Hyatt, which is across the street from the St. Regis. It will be a larger project and we expect the thermal solar system to exceed the savings obtained by the St. Regis since the Grand Hyatt has more roof space available.”
Altech Solar’s technical and engineering consulting services regarding solar technology, including its proprietary solar evacuation tube technology designs, are available to organizations and project development firms worldwide. Full-scale design and project management are also offered. A newly launched service offering includes providing energy discount, tax rebate, and other incentive information and grant writing services.
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