Solar Pre-Heating for the Dairy Industry

Winston Cone Optics (WCO) has installed a 91 m2 pilot solar thermal system on the roof top of a local dairy in Merced, CA which provides solar pre-heating of hot water used for milking equipment sterilization. The system pre-heats water daily from about 62 to 180 °F and stores it for use around the clock, reducing on-site propane consumption by 70%. This project is supported by the California Energy Commission under PIR-20-004. WCO will monitor performance for 6 months to evaluate technology readiness for the dairy industry.