I am interested in using the flat plate solar collector object in my simulation to decrease the demand on the boiler to provide hot water for the facility. I read in the EnergyPlus documentation that the SolarCollector:FlatPlate:Water object could be used to model 'glazed, unglazed, and tubular (i.e. evacuated tube) collectors'. I am not sure how to tell the program which type of collector I want to simulate. I also read about the SolarCollectorPerformance:FlatPlate object, but I did not read anywhere how I could specify the type of collector. In the Engineering Reference document, under Solar Collectors it does say that flat plate, integral-collector storage, and unglazed transpired collectors are the only types currently available in EnergyPlus. If that is the case, then why mention that the SolarCollector:FlatPlate:Water object can be used to simulate other types of collectors?

Thank you.