The irony of solar energy in Qatar

the irony of solar energy:

An idiosyncracy of living in a hot climate where there is a history of scarce water supplies or poor municipal systems is that your household water is often provided from a tank on the roof. Most of our VISTA apartments are supplied from water tanks on the roof, where they get the full sun of the day: solar heat! Because our summer nights are still hot, the water tank never really cools much.

Typically, each room has its own water heater, powered by a(n unmarked) switch on the wall. The water heater is either in a closet, or the ceiling, or the wall -- so it does not get any solar heat!

Thus, counter-intuitively, in summer, we:

1- leave the hotwater power switch off;

2- turn on the “cold” water tap for hotter water, and

3- get cooler water from the “hot” water tap.

Thus in full summer, it is better to take showers in the morning can be rather scalding, when the tank has had a chance to cool somewhat.

At some point when there is less solar heat, we switch back to normal operation -- maybe late September?

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