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In March 2015 I installed an ETS (Electric Thermal Storage) system in a upstairs workshop that was hard to heat. In order to heat the workshop meant the entire second story of my house had to be brought up to the temperature desired. It seemed a waste to me to heat four rooms when only one needed the heat.
I tried many area space heaters....but whatever the tech they all were limited to 1500 watts input. Not only under powered, but slow to heat or noisy. Stand alone or wall mounted they did not get the job done.
Finally I found the ETS product. It was developed for the utility industry to store excess electrical energy at night when rates are low and release that energy as heat in the daytime when rates are high. They sold the systems to users in cold climates that were on TOU plans. The systems use high density ceramic bricks to store heat energy.
In my particular case, I produces excess solar PV energy in the daytime, which I sell to my POCO at wholesale rates since I am on a "net billing" system. If you are on a "net metering" system then you can probably ignore this thread since you receive retail for your excess production and an ETS will not make much sense. So I turned the premise of this product around with my excess solar PV energy in the daytime. I charge the system in the day and release heat in the early morning when heat is needed and where there is no or low sunlight. The heat is distributed exactly where it is needed. Yes, it is a glorified space heater, but I have found out it is much more. The device has not only exceeded my expectations but impressed my wife...which is very hard to do.
The device will keep an area at exactly the temperature you want without the wild fluctuations of a normal space heater. It is intelligent.....if you want setback at night it will do that. It has a vacation switch.....which means you can shut down the system for absences or when you anticipate long sunless days without adjusting your temperature controls. Really nice feature. It only charges itself when you want it to. My system charges 10am to 1pm only.
Look, I know electric heat is inefficient when compared to other forms of heat energy, but if you have a specific area that needs a specific heat solution in a cold weather climate it may be cost effective solution. My advice is to look at your cost per BTU for each proposed solution. Here in Indiana I can buy propane for $.89 per gallon.....that is cheap heat. Wood is even less expensive. Fuel oil is starting to make sense.
So look at an ETS, it may make sense, especially if you have excess PV energy and the POCO is paying you wholesale for it. The number of solar PV producers looking to soak up excess production is growing.......here's an option.
I tried many area space heaters....but whatever the tech they all were limited to 1500 watts input. Not only under powered, but slow to heat or noisy. Stand alone or wall mounted they did not get the job done.
Finally I found the ETS product. It was developed for the utility industry to store excess electrical energy at night when rates are low and release that energy as heat in the daytime when rates are high. They sold the systems to users in cold climates that were on TOU plans. The systems use high density ceramic bricks to store heat energy.
In my particular case, I produces excess solar PV energy in the daytime, which I sell to my POCO at wholesale rates since I am on a "net billing" system. If you are on a "net metering" system then you can probably ignore this thread since you receive retail for your excess production and an ETS will not make much sense. So I turned the premise of this product around with my excess solar PV energy in the daytime. I charge the system in the day and release heat in the early morning when heat is needed and where there is no or low sunlight. The heat is distributed exactly where it is needed. Yes, it is a glorified space heater, but I have found out it is much more. The device has not only exceeded my expectations but impressed my wife...which is very hard to do.
The device will keep an area at exactly the temperature you want without the wild fluctuations of a normal space heater. It is intelligent.....if you want setback at night it will do that. It has a vacation switch.....which means you can shut down the system for absences or when you anticipate long sunless days without adjusting your temperature controls. Really nice feature. It only charges itself when you want it to. My system charges 10am to 1pm only.
Look, I know electric heat is inefficient when compared to other forms of heat energy, but if you have a specific area that needs a specific heat solution in a cold weather climate it may be cost effective solution. My advice is to look at your cost per BTU for each proposed solution. Here in Indiana I can buy propane for $.89 per gallon.....that is cheap heat. Wood is even less expensive. Fuel oil is starting to make sense.
So look at an ETS, it may make sense, especially if you have excess PV energy and the POCO is paying you wholesale for it. The number of solar PV producers looking to soak up excess production is growing.......here's an option.
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