In addition, if retail competition lowers electricity prices, the financial advantages for homeowners of SWH systems over electric resistance heating will decrease further. Natural gas has become the fuel of choice for new housing. And gas companies are extending access to existing housing developments. Nevertheless, there may be hope. The technology of SWH has improved significantly.
Manufacturers control quality more rigorously.
Government programs have begun to remove barriers to efficient markets. Many Americans have made a permanent commitment to environmentalism. And unlike high prices for oil in the 1980s, which drove an earlier boom for SWH, the threat of global climate change will not go away. Approximately 1. 1 million new homes are constructed each year in the United States, each of which has a water heater. SWH is virtually a non-player in this market.