Solar Heating and Cooling of Buildings: Phase 0. Executive Summary. Final Report.

After the Westinghouse Electric Corporation made a comprehensive analysis of the technical, economic, social, environmental, and institutional factors affecting the feasibility of utilizing solar energy for heating and cooling buildings, it determined that solar heating and cooling systems can become competitive in most regions of the country in the 1985-90 period. Heating-only systems can be competitive in the 1975-80 period in limited regions of the country. Impressive progress has recently been made in solar collectors, but further reduction in costs is necessary to capture a large market. Five regions of the country containing more than 75 percent of the country's population have been identified as the market for solar systems. Retrofit of solar systems to existing structures is not economically attractive for residential buildings but can be applied to larger buildings. The amount of fossil fuel that can be saved by use of solar energy will build up slowly and could reach 50 million barrels of oil per year by 1990. In the next century, sales of solar systems could approach $10 billion. A proof-of-concept experiment spanning a 3-year period involving 300 single-family residences and 25 large buildings, and requiring $26 million is recommended. (Author)