Is it warm enough to work efficiently
in the UK?
How Much Could I Save?
What is the difference between flat panels and tubular
systems?
Is solar suitable for offices and commercial premises?
What is solar thermal?
What components go to make up a solar thermal system?
When is a house suitable for solar power?
Is the United Kingdom sufficiently sunny?
What proportion of my hot water requirements can I cover
with a solar thermal system?
How can a solar energy system help save the environment?
In what ways can solar thermal systems be used?
How much energy can I really save?
Do you need planning permission to install a system?
How do I fit a solar energy system?
Is it warm enough to work efficiently in the UK?
Yes. The UK receives approximately 60% of the solar energy that is received at the equator. With recent advances in solar flat panel technology, this is more than enough to produce sufficient hot water for your home or office use. In fact the UK receives around 900 kW of solar energy (on average) per square meter of ground, per year.
Over the space of the whole year this produces (approximately) the equivalent amount of energy to 100 litres of heating oil for every square metre of floor space.
A typical installation, for the average family
with average hot water consumption, with average
UK weather, could produce reductions in your annual hot water heating
bill by between 40 - 70%
(approx. 40% winter and 70% summer). A hotter summer could increase
this figure substantially. A good quality installation with high quality
panels, can allow the existing hot water boiler to be turned off completely
for between 3 - 5 months of the year.
In the winter the system receives less solar energy, but still enough to act as a pre heat to the hot water cylinder. This can still produce 30% of your winter energy requirement for hot water, reduce your energy bills and reduces the work load of your existing boiler. Long term that means a longer boiler life expectancy.
What is the difference between flat panels and tubular systems?
Many companies promote evacuated tube systems as more efficient and so more desirable but this is not strictly true. High quality selective coating panels are just as efficient as tube systems and have been shown to be more efficient in some studies.
Flat panels are widely accepted as more aesthetically pleasing than evacuated tube systems and offer a greater variety of installation options.
For example, a tube system cannot be an “in roof system”.
Is solar suitable for offices and commercial premises?
Yes. We can supply and install a range of high quality commercial systems, including pitched or flat roof systems, façade systems and even a canopy system. Canopy systems do not only double up as a sun shade or rain cover, but can also make an intriguing design statement when installed over commercial frontage.
Solar thermal is the specialist term for heat produced using solar energy. Thermal collectors convert sunlight into heat which is used for hot water and to supplement conventional heating systems or to heat swimming pools. It may also be used to heat air directly using air collectors.
What components go to make up a solar thermal system?
Solar thermal systems consist of a collector array, storage cylinder, solar circuit and a control unit with pump. The whole system is connected together by pipes in which solar fluid circulates as a heat transfer medium.
When is a house suitable for solar power?
Almost any building is suitable for a solar installation. The roof or façade on which the solar collectors are installed must face south, east or west. Shading caused by trees or houses should be avoided. A solar thermal system also requires a suitable location for the hot water storage cylinder.
Is the United Kingdom sufficiently sunny?
Every year the Earth receives 10,000 times as much solar energy as the human race currently needs. In Germany alone, an annual total of 300 billion kilowatt hours of solar energy is available. There is an average of 1,000 W of direct and indirect solar radiation per square meter. This is the fuel equivalent to almost 100 litres of heating oil.
What proportion of my hot water requirements can I cover with a solar thermal system?
Solar thermal systems are generally dimensioned so that over 60% of energy requirements are met by the solar installation. When used to supplement a conventional heating system, approximately the same amount of energy can also be saved.
How can a solar energy system help save the environment?
A solar installation generates energy and therefore reduces energy requirements from conventional energy like oil, gas, coal or uranium. CO2 emissions are reduced accordingly (not in comparison with nuclear power). Furthermore, environmental damage through transport, extraction and processing of raw materials or through the final storage of spent fuels is avoided.
In what ways can solar thermal systems be used?
There are four main types of use:
- Systems for hot water
- Solar energy systems for hot water and auxiliary heating
- Systems for heating swimming pools (mostly in conjunction with the above)
- Systems for air heating
How much energy can I really save?
A solar thermal system will generally allow you to save over 60% of the energy required to generate hot water. If used to supplement a conventional heating system, roughly the same percentage saving (as a rule of thumb) can be made in addition
Do you need planning permission to install a system?
No planning permission is required to install a solar energy system. However, if a building is listed then the relevant authority will have to decide.
How do I fit a solar energy system?
There are the following installation types:
- On-roof installation
- Flat-roof installation
- Integrated/complete roof installation system
- Canopy installation
- Façade installation
