The other kind of solar

A Kalihi company has been making solar water heaters since 1981

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While solar water heaters dot an increasing number of rooftops in Hawaii, most of them are made on the mainland. R&R Solar Supply is the only supplier that manufactures complete solar water heater systems in Hawaii.

The Kalihi company, which has been in business since 1981, and run by Rolf Christ since 1988, has manufactured more than 30,000 solar collectors in Hawaii.

Its clients include practically every Hawaiian Electric Co.-approved contractor in the islands, and its solar collectors can be seen on the roofs of many military neighborhoods -- from Hickam Air Force base to Kaneohe Bay.

Since the company manufactures its solar water systems here, it focuses on the Hawaii market, and buys materials locally, when possible.

Christ gives the Star-Bulletin a tour of the factory at the end of Austin Lane, and shares his views on the bill proposing mandatory solar water heaters on all homes built after 2010.

2 kinds of solar

Solar water heaters and photovoltaic systems both use rooftop panels. Both use the sun's energy. Both can be used on the same house, although some developers have opted to use power from a photovoltaic system to heat water electrically. But, the fact is, they are very different.

» Solar water heaters use the sun's rays to heat water, which is then piped down into the home's hot-water tank.
» Photovoltaic panels generate electricity directly at the panels, which are connected to the home's electrical system.

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Rolf Christ doesn't consider himself a "tree-hugger."

But he lives in a zero-energy house, which uses a solar water heater as well as solar photovoltaic panels, and he recycles and composts.

He also is president and chief executive of R&R Solar Supply in Kalihi, the only supplier in Hawaii that manufactures its own solar water heater systems here.

In business since 1981, and run by Christ, and his wife, Rosie, since 1988, R&R Services -- commonly known as R&R Solar Supply -- manufactures the SunPro Collector series, featuring bronze anodized aluminum frames; the Copperstar series, using copper frames; and Sunlast series, featuring stainless steel frames.

Copper is the most expensive, but Christ says they are ideal for Hawaii's marine environment and he's the only one in the nation to offer them.

Chances are that if you've flown over some of the military projects and homes with solar water collectors on their rooftops -- you've seen some of the panels from R&R Solar.

They are installed on military homes at Hickam Air Force Base, Ford Island, Manana and Kaneohe Bay.

R&R Solar and Inter-Island Solar Supply are the two main suppliers on the island.

Inter-Island Solar Supply manufactures solar water collectors on the mainland and then transports them to Hawaii.

The Solaray Corp., parent of Inter-Island Solar Supply, also owns and operates California-based SunEarth Inc., which manufactures solar thermal collectors, systems and ancillary equipment.

Not surprisingly, most manufacturers opt to make their panels on the mainland, which can serve customers outside of Hawaii as well as expand distribution.

R&R Solar focuses on serving solar contractors in Hawaii.

Part of Christ's strategy in setting his business apart is to offer a one-stop shop for complete solar water-heater systems. So he offers all of the components, as well as paint and other supplies at his warehouse.

He also knows how to do installations, something he learned during the mid-'80s slump in the solar business, when tax credits were drastically reduced.

He took advantage of the down time to upgrade and improve some of his machines -- he built many of the jigs himself.

Christ also sells complete, turnkey photovoltaic systems -- which generate electricity from sunlight -- but does not manufacture the panels here.

Christ, 51, was born in Bonn, Germany, with manufacturing roots, given that his family owned a high-end custom furniture company. His father was a master cabinet maker.

He came to Hawaii in 1980 to work for a solar company, and in 1988 launched R&R Solar after buying out the assets of an ailing company.

Today, the company does $5 million in annual sales, putting out between 2,500 to 3,500 panels a year.

In fiscal year 2006, Christ estimates he manufactured more than 70,000 square feet of solar water collectors, twice that of the average U.S. manufacturer. He said he believes R&R Solar manufactured about 8 percent of the total solar collectors produced in the U.S. in 2006.

Steady Business

Business has been steady over the last two years.

While most of the materials for solar collectors have to be brought in from the mainland, R&R buys locally where possible, whether it's copper, aluminum sheets or steel fasteners.

The main components are copper tubes, copper absorber plates, bronze anodized aluminum frames, glass, aluminum backsheets, fiberglass insulation, brackets, grommets and interlocking mounting clips.

Most of the work is done in a warehouse at the end of Austin Lane in Kalihi, where about a dozen employees work on assembly, welding the copper piping together and to the sheets.

The technology is simple and straightforward. The sun hits the copper pipes through the absorber plate, which heats water running through it, and then gets pumped into storage in a water tank.

Since R&R Solar sells wholesale directly to contractors, he says the prices are competitive.

"I'm very competitive because I basically cut out the middleman," he said.

Clients include most of the Hawaiian Electric Co.-approved contractors, including Hi-Tech Plumbing Corp., Hawaiian Island Solar, and the Dorvin D. Leis Co.

Other clients include Giant Solar, C&J Solar Solutions, Alternate Energy and Solar Engineering & Contracting.

Hi-Tech Plumbing has used many of R&R Solar collector panels for its installations on Navy housing.

That includes 741 homes at Halsey and Radford Terrace, as well as another 231 homes on Ford Island that are in progress.

Kerry Hara, owner of Hi-Tech Plumbing, said R&R does custom work, like pre-fab solar lines on the water tank.

"Anything manufactured here has got to be better," said Gary Ralston of Hawaiian Island Solar in Kaneohe, which has been in business since 1983.

Business is hopping for Ralston, who said a combination of oil prices, tax credits and climate change awareness is driving demand. He estimates business will be 35 to 40 percent higher than last year.

Andre McBride, owner of Giant Solar, called R&R a success story.

"They've been giving people jobs for a long time in Hawaii," he said.

To date, Christ estimates R&R Solar has manufactured at least 30,000 solar collector panels.