Solar Thermal Energy

Solar Water Heating uses the radiation from the sun to heat water in a panel often sited on the roof which in turn can supply that heat as hot water or to a central heating system. Unfortunately the demands on your central heating system are at their highest when the sun is weakest so a solar heating system will only contribute to part of your heating energy requirements.

The positive side to the strength of the sun in summer is that it is the peak demand for swimming pools, static caravans and holiday lets.

If the system has been sized correctly, it can provide at least 40-60% of all your hot water requirements throughout the year. The average domestic system reduces carbon dioxide emissions by around 400kg per year.

Solar Water Heating should not be confused with generating electricity from the sun or photovoltaics (PV) in which solar power is used to directly generate electricity which can be used in the home or fed into the National Grid.