SOLAR ENERGY POTENTIAL IN ALASKA.

Considerable interest in solar energy applications has developed in Alaska as there has in much of the rest of the country. Solar energy possibilities for Alaska include service hot water heating, hot water or hot air heating for space conditioning, and the use of passive solar heating in residential or commercial buildings. As a first analysis, this study concentrated on applying solar energy to domestic hot water heating needs in Alaska. An evaluation of solar hot water heating economics was performed using F-Chart, a solar energy simulation computer program. Results indicate that solar energy presently cannot economically compete with oil heated hot water at any of the study locations in Alaska. However it is in the realm of economic feasibility in comparison to electrically heated hot water if collector systems can be purchased and installed for approximately 20 per square foot.