Gadgets to Solve Global Warming?

February 20, 2007 – Vol.11 No.48

GADGETS TO SOLVE GLOBAL WARMING?

One thing seems clear: Americans would probably like an off-the-shelf, order-over-the-Internet gadget to solve global warming and cut fossil fuel dependence. Call it an iGreenPower or something.

As one reader of this publication recently said: Americans love their gadgets.

Well in a sense American consumers might be right. Gadgets are part of the answer. But what they don’t realize is that many of those gadgets are already out there, but are not pocket-sized black or white boxes. Those gadgets take all kinds of different shapes and there are many of them.

Two gadgets of course are compact fluorescent (CFL) and LED light bulbs. Buy ‘em, plug’ em in and save energy. Simple enough.

The market now in the US of these lighting technologies is very small; spendthrift Americans largely buy light bulbs based on immediate cost, not long-term savings, not saving the planet.

Fortunately, the international market for energy efficient lighting is about to grow significantly. Australia has announced plans to completely phase out incandescent light bulbs by 2010.

The replacements will be CFLs and LEDs. (Are you reading the news, fledgling LED developers in the US? Have you bought your Queensland and Northern Territories Aerial Service (QUANTAS) ticket to Sydney yet?) The new market will help bring down the cost of CFL and LED lighting.

Legislation is floating about in California to ban incandescents as well. New Jersey is also thinking about banning incandescents from state-owned buildings.

Another gadget that’s proven and well-received globally - but not with penny-wise and pound-foolish America - is tankless hot water heaters.

Why on Earth do we think it’s smart to make gallons and gallons of hot water at home when we’re on a week’s vacation hundreds of miles away? (I’m just as guilty by the way; lazy and stupid about these things sometimes.)

Tankless devices can save up to sixty percent on energy used in hot water making. (But be advised of the two little words “up to” your savings might be less.)

The drawbacks are upfront costs and possibly installation. Tankless water heaters, or on-demand water heaters, cost a few times more than tank-type ones, but probably never need replacing. Manufacturers mention that parts are replaced, not the whole unit if things go wrong.

Installation costs can be higher than replacing a conventional tank-type hot water heater especially if you decide to put your tankless type in another spot, like outdoors. Those expenses would be moving water supply lines, gas/electric hookups, or switching from gas to electric or vice-versa.

There are a number of tankless hot water heater manufacturers, some operating globally. Some models (but not all) are eligible for a $300 tax credit in the US, good till the end of 2007.

New to the list of tankless hot water heater makers is American Heat.

They’ve just introduced the ADK-1 which uses aluminum alloy 393 (whatever that is) for its heating canisters. The company says the alloy makes the canisters more efficient and last longer than those used in other brands.

American Heat claims the ADK-1 can provide enough hot water for a small house (4 gallons per minute) but two or more units might be needed for larger homes. The unit, too, is smaller than most on the market. It’s about the size of a large shoe box and weighs only 7 pounds. according to the company website. The model is electric powered only. No mention if it’s eligible for the tax credit.

Maybe the bland name of ADK-1 should be changed to iHeatWater, a energy-saving gadget for your home. Visit American Heat at http://www.americanheat.info/