Solar Thermal
Use energy from the sun to heat your hot water.
Solar water heating systems use free heat from the sun to warm domestic hot water. A conventional boiler or immersion heater is then used to make the water hotter, or to provide hot water when solar energy is unavailable.
HOW DO SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEMS WORK?
Solar water heating systems use solar panels, called collectors, fitted to your roof. These collect heat from the sun and use it to warm water which is stored in a hot water cylinder.
THE BENEFITS OF INSTALLING SOLAR WATER HEATING:
- Hot water throughout the year: the system works all year round, though you'll need to heat the water further with a boiler or immersion heater during the winter months.
- Cut your bills: sunlight is free, so once you've paid for the initial installation your hot water costs will be reduced.
- Cut your carbon footprint: solar hot water is a green, renewable heating system and doesn't release any harmful carbon dioxide or other pollutants.
IS SOLAR WATER HEATING RIGHT FOR MY HOME?
To tell if solar water heating is right for you, there are a few key questions to consider:
- Do you have a sunny place to put solar panels? You'll need around 4 square metres of roof space which faces east to west through south and receives sunlight for the main part of the day. Alternatively, if you do not have a south facing roof and if you have space, you could install two panels, one facing east and one facing west - but this will make installation more costly. The panels don't always have to be mounted on a roof, they can be fixed to a frame on flat roofs.
- Do you have space for a larger, or an extra, hot water cylinder? If a dedicated solar cylinder is not already installed then you will need to replace the existing cylinder, or add a dedicated cylinder with a solar heating coil.