The benefits of solar hot water
Solar hot water systems deliver reasonable financial benefits when the Renewable Heat Incentive and RHPP are taken into account:
- Reduced heating costs: By converting free sunlight into heat, you can reduce your heating and hot water bill by as much as £80 a year, with the RHPP scheme giving a grant of £300. With the Renewable Heat Incentive included, this saving will be even greater.
- Reduced carbon footprint: Energy from the sun produces no carbon dioxide or other harmful greenhouse gases.
- Hot water all year: The system works all year round, though you'll need to heat the water further with a boiler or immersion heater during the winter months.
- Low maintenance: Most solar water heating systems come with a 5-10 year warranty and require little maintenance.
Typical Savings
Solar water-heating can provide you with about half of your hot water needs. In a study by BRE, 6 houses fitted with solar water heating were monitored and the energy savings in heating and hot water varied from 26 – 70%. The average was 50%, which is an average saving of 1,200 kWh of energy per year.
Energy Saving Trust studies suggest savings based on the hot water and heating requirements of a 3 bed semi-detached home with a 3.4m2 collector are £80 a year for a home using electricity, and £55 per year for a gas heated home.
What to do next?
FAQs
- Can I use solar thermal panels with an existing combi boiler?
- Yes, there are specially designed systems that work very well with most combi boilers. It will requires the installation of a storage cylinder and possibly some enhanced controls for the boiler.
- Do my solar panels need to be MCS approved?
- In order to be eligible for the RHI and RHI Premium Payment the panels need MCS approval. There are also other accreditation schemes such as the Solar Keymark.
- How long does a solar thermal installation take?
- The installation will normally takes 2 days.
- Are solar thermal collectors or panels fragile?
- Not typically - they are designed to withstand the elements so they should be quite robust. All MCS accredited products should last their predicted 20 year lifetime.
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