Solar Panels

Solar Panels are used alongside carbon fuelled water heaters and have several benefits for example

Reduction of carbon front print

Reduction of fuel bills

Added value to property

About Solar Energy

Obviously solar energy is energy provided by the sun. The trick is how to capture this energy and turn it into something useful for us. There are two main types of solar panel. Firstly there are photovoltaic panels, also known as PV panels, which are an array of solar cells which convert sunlight into electricity. The second type of solar power which we are concerned with here are solar hot water panels, which use the energy from the sun to heat water and subsequently contribute to the household hot water.

Solar water heating

Heat is collected from the sun in one of two ways. The solar panel heating system either uses a flat plate system which uses a plate to absorb the sun's heat or an evacuated tube system that has a row of glass tubes which house absorber plates. This captured energy is used to heat the water using a heat transfer system.

The heated water is stored in a hot water cylinder for later use.

In summer the heat from the sun is enough to provide just about all your hot water needs, but what happens in the UK in winter, when we need the hot water the most ? Well, the solar system will contribute to the heating of the hot water, so the conventional heating system doesn't need to work as hard to heat the water. This will provide consideration savings

Can We Install Solar Hot Water Panels

There are a few minimum requirements, some obvious, some not so.

Clearly you will need roof space for the panels, which faces south or nearly south ! Suppliers of solar hot water panels will survey your house for it’s suitably. Typically planning permission is not required.

What About Maintenance Of Solar Hot Water Panels ?

Solar panels have no moving parts and these systems have expected lifespan of 30 or more years. Things do sometimes go wrong, but what about boilers ! We all know how unreliable boilers can be.

The Energy Saving Trust has a wealth of ideas and information for other ways of reducing your carbon foot print.