Alliant helps manufacturer develop solar water heaters

Interstate Power and Light Company, an Alliant Energy company, is helping an Iowa company bring more renewable energy to the marketplace.

Foresight Technologies, based in Fairfield, is in the process of developing a unique solar water heater system, and Alliant Energy recently awarded the company with a Bright Ideas grant for $20,000 to test the efficiency of the system.

?We have developed an all polymer solar hot water collector which has patent pending status. The total cost of this unit and all support equipment is approximately 45 percent of existing units,? said Joel Price, inventor. ?By using the sun to preheat the water the units will reduce hot water heating costs by approximately 70 percent when compared to electric water heaters.?

The Bright Ideas grant program provides funding for innovative energy efficiency and renewable ideas to encourage and support energy conservation in Iowa. Foresight Technologies hopes to bring the technology to market in the next year or two.

?The project that Foresight Technologies is working on is another example of Fairfield?s leadership in energy efficiency. The community is focused on creating solutions that will benefit Fairfield and many others,? said Laurie Appleget, key account manager for Alliant Energy.

Bright Ideas is a one-time grant opportunity designed to stimulate grass roots enthusiasm for and innovation of unique energy conservation and efficient use of electricity and/or natural gas and/or renewable resources in Iowa homes, farms, businesses and government-owned buildings. Learn more about the Bright Ideas grant program at www.alliantenergy.com/brightideas.

The $20,000 grant check was presented Tuesday afternoon at Fairfield City Hall.