Solar Thermal 

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About Solar Thermal

Solar Thermal is a great and efficient technology that converts the suns energy in to heat which is then transferred to a water store. The way a solar thermal panel works is quite
simple: it absorbs the heat from the sun with panels that are called solar collectors. When sized correctly a Solar Thermal can offer huge savings off your annual gas or electric bill.
The heated water or heat-transfer fluid then runs from the collectors to your hot water cylinder. This way a solar water heating system can provide your home with free heated water.
Solar thermal panels are not to be confused with solar PV panels, which use the energy from the sun to generate electricity. As such, solar PV panels and solar thermals are two very different technologies.
Using solar energy has many advantages, among them the money saved on energy bills, the reduction of your carbon footprint and the low maintenance, making solar thermal a great investment.
Having a solar thermal system installed is a significant investment at first. Therefore, before purchasing one, it is important to ask yourself a couple of questions.

The three most important things you have to keep in mind are:

  • Do you have a suitableroof that catches a lot of sun?
  • Do you have enough space for a hot water cylinder?
  • Do you have a boiler that is compatible with solar water heating?
  • Spot in the Sunlight

Solar thermal power generation needs the sun as the main energy source. Therefore, the optimal position to be situated is somewhere with direct sunlight for the most part of the day. This could be on a roof space which faces east to west through south. Different placement is still possible, however, the efficiency of heating water will be decreased.
However, they don’t necessarily need to be placed on a roof. Other possible places could be on a flat roof or hang from a wall, as long as it gets direct sunlight.

Enough Space
A solar thermal requires a  solar cylinder. If you don’t own a solar cylinder, the existing cylinder is replaced with a new cylinder with a dedicated solar coil.

Compatible Boiler
Fortunately, most conventional boilers are compatible with solar water heating systems. Your home is not compatible when you have a combination boiler without a hot water tank, however.

How Much Does a Solar Thermal System Cost?

When you choose to purchase a solar thermal, the costs of installing will vary between £3,000-5,000(including VAT of 5% for a 2.8m 2  system). Even though this sounds like a significant investment, the system can provide your hot water for more than half the year, negating the need to run your boiler.
Luckily, to cover the costs of switching to this renewable energy system, the government compensates you for using renewable energy from a solar water heating system. This is called the Domestic Renewable Heating Incentive(RHI) and is paid over 7 years based on the amount of heat produced by your heating system. As well as installing we offer servicing and repairs on existing systems. We recommend that systems are serviced every 2-3 years.