A: In the 1970s, solar water heating technology was being developed and installed quite rapidly in response to that decade's energy crises. At that time, efficiency and ease of installation were the priorities, often at the expense of appearance. Many people thought that roof-mounted solar collectors were unsightly, even though they helped to reduce the amount of unsightly smoke billowing from coal-fired power plants! Still, the resulting attention to aesthetics has resulted in the "skylight" look of many of today's solar collectors.
Other Resources: To learn more about solar hot water-heating systems, please visit our solar hot water technology section.
