| geothermal heat pump | ||
| photovoltaics | ||
| > | solar water system | |
Solar water heating systems use heat from the sun to work alongside the conventional water heater. The technology is well developed with a large choice of equipment to suit many applications. For domestic hot water there are three main components:
- Solar panels or collectors - are fitted to your roof. They collect heat from the sun's radiation. There are 2 main types of collector:
- Flat plate systems - which are comprised of an absorber plate with a transparent cover to collect the sun's heat, or
- Evacuated tube systems - which are comprised of a row of glass tubes that each contain an absorber plate feeding into a manifold which transports the heated fluid
- A heat transfer system - uses the collected heat to heat water
- Hot water cylinder - stores the hot water that is heated during the day and supplies it for use later
Solar water heating can be used in the home and the swimming pool. A large installation, typically costing approximately £20,000 to provide can generate significant savings.
Download full eco document as PDF
