It’s overwhelming how much energy is consumed by a venue like The Highball. Normally it would require well over a million gallons of gas a year to keep the operation up and running. It’s with statistics like this in mind that The Highball is proud to announce we have gone solar.

With the help of our friends at SolarHotUSA and HHCC Inc., who were phenomenal in the installment of the system, we are now using the most efficient solar heating system in its class to power our venue. The use of solar hot water heaters will result in saving over 753,756 gallons of fuel and a maximum of 102,214 kBtu of energy. Just as important is the fact that it prevents additional burning of carbon dioxide.

Jeanette Gretsch of SolarHotUSA highlighted the additional benefits of solar heating, saying, ” it’s renewable energy. It doesn’t require much electricity to run and it replaces electric power or gas. People usually think of solar panels that generate energy. But we take a task usually required for electricity and gas and replacing it. We replace energy instead of taking it. There are also a lot of tax incentives if you are using electric heating instead of natural gas, which can be a bonus for businesses.

There’s also no worry that the system will fail if the hot water heater is running low on solar energy.

“The gas is always there as a backup but the hot water will be first generated from the sun and then from the gas,” said Gretsch. “There’s some money saved, but it makes a huge environmental impact. We have diminishing environmental resources in the world. A lot of times people talk about global warming and it becomes a point of contention, but there are so many reasons to save fuel and energy despite global warming. It also improves the air quality, which is an issue.”

Unfortunately, the state of Texas doesn’t use as much solar water heating as many other states. It’s one reason we’re encouraging other businesses and homeowners to take the initiative to do so.

“In 2007, less than 60,000 square feet of solar water heating shipped in Texas,” said Gretsch. “Compare that to Florida, which has 3,933,000 and California has 4 million. The Highball put 384 square feet of solar water heating in.”

Solar thermal heating is just one way The Highball is working towards being a globally conscious business. So the next time you are moving under the lights at one of The Highball dance parties or knocking down some pins in the bowling alley, take comfort in knowing that it’s helped being run by the power of the sun.

-Adam Sweeney-

Tags: HHCC Inc., solarHot, The Highball