| An Affordable Heat-Pump Water-Heater
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| | intends to use the product(from: in a
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| Retrofit
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| | 100-unit subdivision that is in the
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| The engineers at AirGenerate (previously
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| | works.
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| Beyond Pollution) appear to have done
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| | Skyland Falls is installing the AirTap
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| something remarkable: create an
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| | units on new, 40- and 50-gallon (150 and
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| affordable, effective, heat-pump water
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| | 190 l) electric water heaters, set up so
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| heater that can be retrofit onto a
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| | that the standard electric element
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| conventional gas or electric water
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| | provides a backup. The controls on the
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| heater, more than doubling the energy
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| | water heater are set so that the standard
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| performance compared with a standard
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| | element will come on at 100°F (38°C),
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| electric water heater. The AirTap A7
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| | while the AirTap is set to heat water to
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| water heater has a rated output of 7,000
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| | 130°F (54°C). If the heat-pump module
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| Btu/hour (7.4 MJ/hour), a first-hour
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| | stops working for some reason, the
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| rating of 42.5 gallons (160 l), a maximum
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| | conventional electric-resistance element
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| water temperature of 135°F (57°C), an
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| | will still keep the water warm, but
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| efficiency of 240% (coefficient of
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| | homeowners will notice the problem and
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| performance of 2.4), and an energy factor
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| | contact Skyland Falls. The company(from:
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| of 2.11. (Energy factor is a standardized
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| | will go out and troubleshoot the
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| measure of performance of water heaters;
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| | problem-but it probably won't be an
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| the higher the number, the better.) All
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| | emergency call, since the water will
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| this is in a unit that measures only 18"
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| | remain at least warm. "Since this is a
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| wide by 14" deep by 14" high (460 x 360 x
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| | new system, we wanted a backup,"
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| 360 mm), weighs only 48 pounds (22 kg),
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| | Alexander told EBN. With some units in
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| and sits on top of a standard water
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| | place for four months, Skyland Falls has
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| heater. The list price is $499. The
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| | yet to receive a call.
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| energy factor and first-hour rating of
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| | Installation is fairly easy-even feasible
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| the AirTap are certified by GAMA
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| | for skilled do-it-yourselfers. According
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| (previously the Gas Appliance
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| | to Alexander, one of his employees can
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| Manufacturers Association and now a
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| | install three AirTap units in a day.
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| broader association of appliance and
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| | Skyland Falls installs the water heaters
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| equipment manufacturers).
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| | in utility closets with the outflow air
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| Heat-pump(from: water heaters have
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| | from the AirTap heat pump vented into the
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| always been a good idea, but most efforts
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| | adjacent garage; this setup provides some
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| to design, build, and market them have
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| | cooling to the garage, which is
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| failed. With today's high energy prices,
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| | beneficial in the summer. Of the 30 units
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| however, consumers should be more
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| | so far installed, only one unit has had a
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| receptive to heat-pump water heaters,
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| | problem-a loose bolt that Skyland Falls
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| according to Harvey Sachs, Ph.D., the
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| | easily fixed. In late spring 2008, the
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| buildings program director at the
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| | all-electric homes were using less than
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| American Council for an Energy-Efficient
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| | $2 per day for energy, according to
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| Economy. "The economic savings potential
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| | Alexander, though how much of this is for
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| is so much greater than before, with the
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| | water heating is not known.
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| run-up of energy prices," Sachs told EBN.
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| | Other heat-pump water heaters will be
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| AirGenerate initially produced its AirTap
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| | coming along soon. General Electric
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| A7 water-heater(from: kit in Houston,
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| | expects to introduce its Hybrid Electric
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| Texas. After selling a few hundred units
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| | Water Heater in late 2009. The model will
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| in late 2007, the company began sourcing
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| | sell for about $400 more than a standard,
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| the product from an offshore supplier.
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| | 50-gallon (190-l) electric water heater
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| The outsourcing of production will allow
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| | but save an average family $250 per
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| the company to significantly ramp up
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| | yearwith electricity(from: at 10 cents
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| production. The first of the new
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| | per kWh, the company claims. According to
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| (offshore-manufactured) AirTap units were
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| | Sachs, a second major player is likely to
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| received in January 2008, and about 200
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| | soon announce another heat-pump water
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| had been sold through May 2008. Of 400
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| | heater. Having major manufacturers enter
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| units scheduled to arrive in June, almost
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| | the heat-pump water-heater market,
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| all were pre-sold by the end of May,
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| | according to Sachs, will give this sort
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| according to Sunil Sinha, chief scientist
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| | of product legitimacy. "[AirTap] may be
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| at AirGenerate.
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| | able to ride the wake instead of having
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| Skyland Falls, a Tennessee developer, has
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| | to break through the ocean waves," he
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| installed 30 AirTap units since January
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| | said.
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| 2008 in a 70-unit subdivision currently
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| | In addition to the AirTap A7 model,
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| under construction. Houses in the
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| | AirGenerate is introducing a larger
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| subdivision are 2,000 ft2 (190 m2) each
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| | 12,000 Btu/hour model in August 2008,
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| and sell for an average of $230,000. "The
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| | according to Sinha. This model will offer
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| AirTap is doing a fantastic job,"
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| | the same energy factor of 2.11 but will
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| according to Skyland Falls president Gary
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| | have a first-hour rating of 60 gallons
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| Alexander, who told EBN that he also
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| | (230 l).
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