TECHNOLOGY
In Hot Water
Cinco Solar distributes,
and manufactures solar-powered
water-heating systems
WOLLIS FITCH KNOWS THE ENERGY Iz: he spent tho st
seventeen years of his career in the oi industry. A few
‘ears ago, while working a a project manager on an of
shore ol platform in Singapore, he began researching an
alternative enenyy source.
“I don'tknow wh, bt Telikedon the Internet took
Uupsolar power” hesays. “Twas fascinated toseewhat nod
hhapponod in the fifteen years since | hd lst rosearched
the topic”
He started collecting information ina folder—taking
note ofthe best solar panels, Inverters, and water heat
fene—becate he wanted to build solar-powered home
for himself in the San Antonio area Fitch realized there
‘eas potential to tur his research into a business and in
2007, he founded Cinco Solar
In just three years, the firm has engineered three of
the nation’s lrgest evacuated. tube solar water-heating
sgstoms Fitch saysthat evacuated -tubecolletors, whlch
tuansfor solar energy into hot water, are 2 largely under
appreciated component ofthe solar-thermal industry
‘hough approximately $96 ilion a year spent on mak
Inghot water,
"People don't realize that the single largest consumer
of enerayis commercial buildings, and its because ofthe
hotwater neds rather than electrical needs" he says.
Sinee its inception, Cinco Solar and its twelve
ployees have had many triumphs, starting with its first
projec, che Army Residence Community in San Antonio,
which was the rciplont af the Cty of San Antoalo' pros
‘gious Bill Sinkin Solar Technology Award. The success
PAA iN
th
Fegeverrreoesererege
1s VERSATILE
‘iecusted hea pipe
‘bes igewelght ond
moar rey eon
Ineriled on amost
HOW IT WORKS: Thermomax CS-40
“he Kingspan Thermoran CSO sole clr fy hal spe @, soning
‘report fad and condense which satfachad to tha back of an absorber pte
{@)witnn an eaaunied gis tube vapor rest the condenser bul 8) ate
top ofthe et pipeand th condenser bus ralase the itt hen of vaporation|
Int the mente pesang trough bie connect. Dus fo the rym fle
connacton tm CS-40 evarvatea tubes canbe repsced without ta need f aan
{own the sola syle. The absorber support cs (6) and ond support () sate
et
ofthat project gave the company the experiance to bid on their next
projec the Bexar County Adult Detention Center, whieh in burn en
abled them to bid on (and win) another project the Norman Hacker-
‘man scienee-building atthe University of Texas. Cinco Soars instal-
lations are suppying up to 80 percent
of the hot-water demand for these
—— facilities Fitch attributes some of Cin-
cos sucoess to Bexar County “Another
Ara Eianoe county might nothave chosonto spend
tocerion ‘a mlion dollars om a solr system for
Sen Aton, TX their jal” he says, adding that people
FOUNDED: don’t give San Antonio enough credit
zoo? forits green initiatives
aaa "These three projects were enough
ain to gin the attention of Kingspan Re-
‘nowables a Portadown, Irland based
firm known for producing avard-win-
war heatna oy ome
ning Thermomaxsola-thermal-evacuated tubes. In April Fitch few
to Treland to nk deal; Cinco Solr now the primary commeral