Solar hybrid water heating solution Sun Bandit® - the world's first ICC-SRCC-certified, PV-powered solar water heating solution - is celebrating its third anniversary. And it's delivering 10 solar milestones to help builders, contractors and property owners capitalize on its unique market position.

With an impressive trajectory of industry firsts in its wake, solar hybrid water heating solution Sun Bandit® is celebrating its third anniversary. And from Hawaii to Canada to St. Croix, its revolutionary, utility-independent approach to solar water heating is turning heads, changing minds and delivering new revenue opportunities for builders, contractors and property owners.

The seeds for Sun Bandit were sown on July 4, 2013, when the team at Next Generation Energy (NGE) launched an all-hands-on-deck effort to identify and clear many of the hurdles inhibiting widespread solar water heating adoption. In response, a PV-powered solar water heating solution was forged that eliminates fluids, leaks, pump stations, overheating, stagnation, freezing and the complicated installation and maintenance issues that can plague traditional mechanical solar water heating systems. It presents a paradigm shift in the way solar energy is captured, stored and used to heat water.
"Its no accident that American Independence Day marks Sun Bandits official introduction to the solar marketplace," said Next Generation Energys Bill Beedon. "Sun Bandits patented, micro-grid technology is designed to provide a new energy independence that delivers simple, economical, on-site energy storage regardless of net metering incentives."
Read on to discover ten trailblazing achievements that demonstrate why Sun Bandit is giving businesses, policymakers and consumers something of their own to celebrate: a vetted, versatile solar solution that empowers more people than ever to achieve their economic and sustainable living objectives.
1) OG-100 Certification: Sun Bandits earned ICC-SRCC(1) OG-100 certification as the worlds first solar PV water heating collector; its created an entirely new category of solar water heating.
2) OG-300 Certification: OG-100 Certification validated the performance of Sun Bandits collector. And it paved the way for the whole-system, tank-collector solution validation that ICC-SRCC OG-300 certification addresses.
3) Worlds First UL Listing for Multi-Fuel Water Heating: The Sun Bandit teams collaboration with UL experts has forged an entirely new UL classification for solar hybrid water heaters. Sun Bandits patented solution is the worlds first UL-rated, PV-powered multi-fuel water heater using PV in Canada and the US.
4) Energy Star Certification: Over 80% of Americans recognize Energy Star, which identifies products that save money and protect the environment through superior energy efficiency and can reward builders, contractors and property owners with savings, incentives and marketing differentiators -- all of which bolster the Sun Bandit value proposition.
5) Nations First PV Water Heating Solar Rebate Program: Sun Bandits making a splash in the Aloha State, where electricity rates are consistently among the nations highest. Hawaii Energy customers installing Sun Bandit systems can earn cash rebates and finance systems with low interest loans. This is the nations first solar PV water heating incentive program - and it was wholly inspired by Sun Bandit technology.
6) Coast-to-Coast Incentive Eligibility: OG-100 and OG 300 certifications triggered not just potential eligibility for healthy federal ITC (Investment Tax Credit) rewards(2), they gave state and/or utility officials from a complement of solar savvy states -- California, Arizona, Texas, Hawaii, New Jersey and New York (to name a few) -- the confidence they needed to include Sun Bandit as a recommended, incentive-eligible solar solution in their respective markets. Visit http://www.dsireusa.org/ to discover additional state and utility incentives that may apply.
7) A New Menu Option for Builders Offering Net-Zero Homes: Word of Sun Bandits capabilities in heating water is spreading like wildfire! Its been integrated into home energy upgrade menus across the continent, from North Carolina-based Deltecs modular homes to the line-up at RevoluSuns Honolulu-based Smart Home Innovation Center. Its been installed in residential homes from Canada to Costa Rica, development projects from Los Angeles to St. Croix and on government facilities in the Southeastern US.
8) California Compliant: Sun Bandits natural gas and propane water heaters have been accepted onto the California Energy Commissions appliance list (theyre Title 20 and Title 24 compliant). Pairing them with Sun Bandit OG-100 collectors can enhance delivered efficiencies - and energy savings.
9) Utility-Free Versatility: Because Sun Bandits patented solar PV water heating system requires no net-meter, grid interconnection or long-term contracts, homeowners (and installers) enjoy solar water heating thats easily installed and independent of energy cooperative/utility involvement. Sun Bandit can be used off the grid or seamlessly integrated into grid-tied systems.
10) A Perfect 10 with the TVA: Earlier this year, Sun Bandits Energy Star-listed systems were accepted into the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) EnergyRight eScore program, where its performance and deftness in delivering on and off-grid results earned it a perfect 10, while heat pump water heaters scored only 7.
It was an astounding 2,500 years ago that Socrates observed the universal truth that "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new."
Next Generation Energy CEO David Kreutzman concurs: "Whether its in St. Croix or Honolulu, Albany or Anaheim, we have collaborated with progressive business and policy minds around the world to vet -- and now deliver -- a series of industry firsts that are eliminating barriers to solar water heating adoption, creating jobs, slashing energy costs and improving the comfort and efficiencies of commercial and residential building stock. Its been a busy three years," added Kreutzman. "And the best is yet to come."
At a time when the future of net metering is far from certain — and far too reliant on which way the political winds are bloviating — this head-turner known as Sun Bandit is ready for prime time.
Visit http://www.sunbandit.us or call NGE-4-SUN to learn about Sun Bandit or Dealer and Distributor opportunities - or to schedule a meeting at SPI2016 in Las Vegas September 11-14. Find Sun Bandit at Booth 211.
(1) ICC-SRCC is the International Code Council's Solar Rating & Certification Corporation. It's the only national certification program established solely for solar heating and cooling products.
(2) The entire cost of a SunBandit® system (including installation), may qualify for current 30% federal investment tax credits as stated on IRS Form 5695. Visit http://www.dsireusa.org to discover complementary financial incentives available via other state and utility sponsored programs; consult with a tax professional to determine eligibility.
About Next Generation Energy's Sun Bandit®: Sun Bandit is a trademark-registered, patented* product innovation of Colorado-based Next Generation Energy (NGE®), whose expertise in PV, solar thermal and off-grid system design and engineering have been delivering high-performing, money-saving renewable energy solutions to commercial, utility-scale, governmental, individual and multi-family housing interests for over 30 years. Learn more by calling 877-NGE-4SUN - or visit ngeus.com. Find Sun Bandit at http://www.sunbandit.us.
*U.S. Patents 8,909,033; 8,977,117 and 9,002,185. Other patents pending.