Reflective Solar Heating
Heating our dwellings in winter is not only a source of pollution, but also costs money. Whether you use gas, firewood or electricity, you contribute to planetary pollution and pay for it too - one way or another.
Photo above demonstrates how we use solar heating during cold winter days.
A stainless steel mirror installed flat on the deck effectively doubles the amount of solar energy entering the window, whatever the weather.
The transport of heat to the house occurs with the speed of light. There are no losses or delays associated with heat storage and transfer.
The well-insulated house interior itself works as a solar collector. Since the winter Sun here can deliver up to 350 W/m², our 9m² mirror can reflect up to 3 kW of heat.
The cost of fully installed solar reflector heating seems to be around $150 per kW with no future bills to pay and no pollution to generate. I wonder if anyone can find a better deal...
The unexpected bonus of reflective solar heating turned out to be a beautiful solar art display on the ceiling. Since stainless steel mirrors are not exactly flat, reflected sunshine produces fascinating and changing light patterns.
Of course we remove the deck mirrors for seasons other than winter. It only takes ~20 minutes to install or remove them.
