Innovative Low Cost Solar Air Heating for Poultry House Ventilation

American Solar, Inc. proposes to research and analyze two low cost solar air heating systems for poultry houses. The solar heating systems will use an existing poultry house metal roof and a new wall-mounted, solar curtain system to harvest renewable, solar heated air. The solar heated air will displace cold outside ventilation air that would be brought into the house and require heating by non-renewable heating fuels. Together, the systems are estimated to cut conventional fuel heating of poultry houses, will improve farm income, will increase local renewable energy use, and reduce spending on fuels imported from outside the local economy, thereby strengthening the local rural economy.