Hi
short intro - my name is Tom and for a couple of years i was the GM at an island resort. electricity comes expensive on an island (generators) so we heated up water using Chromagen (an Israeli manufacturer) solar hot water systems to heat up water (even on lat 17 guest and staff alike appreciated a hot shower after a long day). the savings were immense, the guests loved it and it helped us get our green globe eco resort listing. anyway - being from Israel myself (where solar water heating is mandatory) i have had ample time to appreciate the numerous advantages of these systems. so.. we are importing them to Belize now. anyone interested in more info is welcome to contact me at
www.swhbelize.com.of course, cost is a big part of the equation for domestic installations. if you want available hot water, that is generated by solar energy, swh are the most efficient solution by far. they aren't as cheap as the alternative suicide shower heads or on demand heaters, but a good solar hot water system will give you 15years or more of solid performance, and no cost after initial installation. they run between 1k-1.5k US$ to buy and install, and come in sizes ranging from 40-80 gallon tank capacity.
love to answer questions, or help out anyone deliberating what he needs.
happy days and happy showers
Tom