1979年，能源部（DOE）为东北太阳能中心（NESEC）提供资金，以监测太阳能热水系统。待监测的太阳能系统将根据美国住房和城市发展部（HUD）太阳能热水倡议项目安装。NESEC最初的计划是监测东北部10个州的200个地点。在这200个地点中，宾夕法尼亚州被分配了50个。在HUD项目下，宾夕法尼亚州安装了近1500个太阳能热水系统，每个系统都获得了400美元的HUD拨款。 因此，宾夕法尼亚州大约3%的HUD安装系统正在NESEC项目下进行监控。截至1980年7月31日，分配给宾夕法尼亚州的50个监测点中有48个正在为系统性能评估提供数据。监测项目的主要目标是:1。评估使用低成本设备包来确定太阳能热水器性能的有效性。注:将使用低成本设备以及更昂贵、更复杂的设备对现场样本进行监控，必要时将开发系统性能相关性。 2.评估系统性能，并将其与HUD系统认证预测进行比较。注:HUD系统认证程序要求每个系统至少提供典型住宅所需热水能量的50%。在宾夕法尼亚州，这一比例从50%降至45%。确定HUD和州联合要求的总体效果:-系统认证-保修-已安装培训计划-州和HUD安装指南注: 新英格兰电力系统公司（1975-76年）发起并实施了一项与之相关的太阳能热水项目，该项目指出了太阳能行业使用太阳能热水系统的几个主要问题。4.确定维护和服务成本。5.确定太阳能热水器的可靠性、安全性和使用寿命。引文:俄亥俄州辛辛那提ASHRAE学报第87卷第2部分研讨会

In 1979 The Department of Energy (DOE) provided funds for The Northeast Solar Energy Center (NESEC) to monitor solar water heating systems. The Solar systems to be monitored were to be installed under the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Solar Hot Water Initiative Project. NESEC's original plan was to monitor 200 sites in ten northeastern states. Pennsylvania was allocated 50 of these 200 sites. Under the HUD Project, Pennsylvanians installed close to 1500 solar hot water systems, each receiving a HUD grant of $400. Thus, roughly 3% of the HUD installed systems in Pennsylvania are being monitored under the NESEC program. As of July 31, 1980, 48 of the 50 monitoring sites allocated to Pennsylvania are providing data for the system performance evaluation.The major objectives of the monitoring program are:1. To assess the effectiveness of using a low-cost equipment package to determine solar water heater performance.NOTE: A sample of the sites, will be monitored with both the low-cost equipment as well as with more expensive, more sophisticated equipment,and system performance correlations will be developed if necessary.2. To assess the systems performance and compare it with the HUD system certification predictions.NOTE: HUD system certification procedures required that each system provide a minimum of 50% of the hot water energy requirement for a typical residence. In Pennsylvania, this 50% figure was reduced to 45%.3. To establish the general effect of the joint HUD and State requirements for:- System Certifications- Warranties- Installed Training Programs- State & HUD Installation GuidelinesNOTE: A somewhat related solar hot water program was initiated and carried out by the New England Electric Systems (1975-76) which indicated several major problems associated with the use of solar hot water systems by the solar industry.4. To establish maintenance and service costs.5. To establish the reliability, safety, and useful life of solar hot water heaters.