Community Pool to Save up to $100,000 Per Year Using Combined Solar Power from Heliocol and Solene

The new EagleVail Community Pool officially opened for business this month near Vail, Colorado. Heated with a combination of Solene Aurora flat-plate solar thermal collectors and unglazed Heliocol solar pool heating panels, the town expects to save close to $100,000 a year in energy costs.

The new EagleVail Community Pool, near Vail, Colorado, is heated with a combination of Solene Aurora flat-plate solar thermal panels and Heliocol solar pool heating panels, saving the town as much as $100,000 per year in energy costs.

To maximize efficiency, the adjacent buildings were expressly designed to accommodate the solar systems. Nearly every foot of available roof space is covered by the two types of solar collectors.

A total of 17 Solene Aurora flat-plate solar thermal panels were installed on a steep pitch to generate maximum energy in winter, spring and fall while allowing any accumulated snow to melt and slide away. Because the region experiences extreme winter weather, the panels were filled with glycol and installed as drainback loop systems. The panels keep the outdoor pool at an even 55 degrees in winter to prevent freezing.

In the summer months, 37 Heliocol solar pool heating panels will keep the pool warm and comfortable. Heliocol's wide variety of panel sizes gave the design and installation team the flexibility to cover nearly all of the remaining roof space. The Heliocol panels were installed at a low angle to maximize summer performance.

The pool was built with $24,000 in county funds from the Eco-Build fund to help cover the costs of the $86,000 project. The installation was completed earlier in the year by Capitol Solar Energy in Castle Rock, Colorado.

MAGEN eco-ENERGY Acquires UMA Solar and Heliocol USA

MAGEN eco-ENERGY  has acquired 100 percent ownership of UMA Solar — national distributor of Heliocol, Solene, SunStar and Heliolectricsolar energy solutions — from partner Victor Eyal.

For more than 30 years, MAGEN eco-ENERGY and Victor Eyal shared 50/50 ownership of UMA Solar and its affiliates. Magen's acquisition and resulting 100 percent ownership of the company puts UMA Solar and MAGEN eco-ENERGY at the forefront of the global solar thermal market, enhancing each company's future growth and performance.

"We have seen a tremendous opportunity for growth in the U.S. solar thermal market," said MAGEN eco-ENERGY CEO and UMA Solar Chairman, Mati Bavli. "We believe the solar thermal industry in the United States is still at the ground floor level. The acquisition of UMA Solar creates new growth opportunities for our current and future partners."

From left: Mati Bavli, MAGEN eco-ENERGY CEO and UMA Solar Chairmain; Itzik Amar, MAGEN eco-ENERGY VP of Marketing; and Victor Eyal, UMA Solar President and CEO.

UMA Solar CEO and President Victor Eyal said the acquisition gives the company the ability to expand aggressively, further maturing as the nation's top solar thermal manufacturer and distributor.

"Our long affiliation has shown us that we share a vision of growth and innovation," Eyal said. "Our combined organization has the people, technology and quality of service required to lead the solar industry."

Eyal retains his position as CEO and President of UMA Solar and its affiliates.

"UMA Solar remains a U.S.-based company," Eyal added. "And we will continue to manufacture and distribute top-quality solar energy solutions, including products meeting the requirements of the Buy American Act. Our pursuit of new partnerships with contractors and distributors nationwide will carry on while our investment in engineering, marketing and research and development will significantly increase."

About UMA Solar

UMA Solar manufactures and distributes the industry's highest-performing solar products for residential and commercial applications nationwide. UMA Solar features industry-leading products including Heliocol, the world's top solar pool heating systems; Solene Solar Water Heating Systems utilizing the industry's highest-rated domestic water heating systems with more than 100 OG-300 systems available; and, Heliolectric, photovoltaic (PV) solar electric equipment packages, individual components and complete systems. UMA Solar offers its products through its network of more than 700 dealers nationwide. Five distribution locations are strategically placed throughout the U.S. for convenient and continuous availability. For more information, call UMA Solar at 1-800-79-SOLAR or visit http://umasolar.com.

About MAGEN eco-ENERGY

MAGEN eco-ENERGY, an Israeli-based global manufacturer of renewable energy solutions, is the parent company of the Magen International Group. In the nearly forty years since the company was founded, MAGEN eco-ENERGY has grown into a world leader specializing in the R&D, production, and marketing of ecological, economical solutions for each of its major product lines:  Solar Heating for Swimming Pools, spas and Jacuzzis, Solar Water Heating Systems for domestic and commercial use, Natural Salt Chlorinators, Industrial & Agricultural Heat Exchangers and Pre-Heating solutions. Magens' known brands are: Heliocol®, Sunstar®, eco-Flare®, eco-Spark®, and Heat-Kit. Committed to quality, the company is ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 approved. For more information, visit http://www.magen-ecoenergy.com.

For more information, please contact Tod Ellington, Director of Marketing at tellington@umasolar.com.

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City of St. Petersburg Could Save $20,000 Annually Thanks to Solar Water Heaters Installed by Solar Source

Solar Source, a UMA Solar dealer, recently installed 21 Solene solar hot water systems at various municipal buildings for the City of St. Petersburg. The solar water heaters are expected to help the city save over $20,000 per year on operating expenses through reduced electricity bills.

An Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 paid for the systems.

Solar Source installed the at four fire stations, the Sanitation Operations building, three sewage treatment plants, the Water Resources Building, the Sunshine Center, the Enoch Davis Rec Center, City Hall, the city golf courses, and the Coliseum. (Click here for a map.)

The solar water heaters are part of a broader renewable energy push for the city, which includes the Solar Parks Initiative Grant Project. Solar Source is installing photovoltaic systems on recreation centers and park facilities throughout the city through the Solar Parks Initiative. The PV systems will include an interactive educational display at the Science Center of Pinellas County where residents can learn how solar power works.    

“The ‘Sunshine City’ was wise to invest in solar power,” said Jeremiah Rohr, Commercial Sales Representative for Solar Source. “Using grant money to invest in solar hot water systems will immediately reduce the monthly operating costs for the city. As energy prices continue to rise in the future, this investment will continue to generate even more savings for the city.”

St. Petersburg is known as the "Sunshine City" because it holds a Guinness World Record for logging the most consecutive days of sunshine - a stretch lasting 768 days that began in 1967, according to the city web site. St. Petersburg Councilmember Karl Nurse was a strong advocate for the clean energy investment plan, which also includes a solar hot water purchasing program for city residents.

The solar thermal systems, also called domestic hot water (DHW), use the sun’s energy to heat water, which is pumped into a storage tank. The pre-heated water greatly reduces the need for traditional fuels to heat the water in the tank. Replacing a typical water heater with a solar powered system will reduce more than 40,000 pounds of CO2 emissions over 20 years and potentially hundreds of dollars per year in utility costs.