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Why is it so important? Solar water heating is a simple way to harness energy from the sun to reduce pollution caused by your energy use. Solar panels can produce energy without releasing carbon dioxide which contributes to climate change. They produce no air pollution or contamination of the sea or land during operation and their manufacture causes no significant environmental impacts compared to other industrial processes. |
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How does it work? Solar panels are designed to absorb the sun's energy and transfer this to your water heating system. They are a simple idea made more efficient by using modern materials and technology to make sure the panels trap as much of the sun's heat as possible and lose as little of this heat as possible. Solar panels absorb heat from the sun which heats up a fluid passing through the panel in pipes. The fluid is then piped through a hot water tank to heat the hot water supply. There are two ways to incorporate solar energy into your plumbing system: |
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What does it look like? The panels are generally fitted on to the roof and a typical home system might be a few square metres in size. There are two basic types, one looks like a simple flat black panel (flat plate collectors) and has a similar appearance to a skylight. The other system appears as a collection of glass tubes (evacuated tube collectors). |
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How much energy can it generate? In the UK solar panels for the home are used in conjunction with a supplementary source of heating, such as a gas boiler. An average home system might provide almost all your hot water over the summer. Through the rest of the year it will pre-heat the water which will then be bought up to temperature by the conventional hot water system. Over the course of a whole year most solar panels should provide at least half of the total energy used by your hot water system. How much does it cost? A home solar water heating system costs £2000-£6000 or about £1000-£2000 by installing the system yourself. Larger systems cost slightly less per unit of energy output. The lifetime of a solar panel is likely to be over 20 years, so most solar water heating systems will pay for themselves in fuel bill savings over the lifetime of the panel. |
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Where can it be sited? The ideal position is on a south east to south west facing roof (with about 15 degrees of south is best). The panel is best mounted on a slope of about 45 degrees (although between 15-60 degrees is usually acceptable), so panels are usually mounted on a pitched roof as shown in the photograph (right). Although solar energy will work in the shade, it will greatly reduce the energy output. You should ensure that the site will not be overshadowed by trees or other buildings. In general, planning permission is only likely to be needed if your house is within a conservation area. Check with your local council if you have any doubts. Solar panels produce the most heat during the day in the summer. This makes them particularly suited to heating outdoor swimming pools which are primarily used in summer. Swimming pools do not need very hot water so the panel itself can also be simpler and cheaper. |
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Further information:
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