Why should you install solar thermal heating?

Want hot water that doesn’t cost the earth? Then think about installing solar thermal heating. Find out how much solar thermal heating costs, how it works and how much it could save you.

There are a variety of air
conditioning systems available

Solar thermal heating uses energy from the suns radiation to provide your home with hot water. According to Howard Johns, Chairman of the Solar Trade Association: “There are in excess of £100,000 of these systems out there already, far more than any other renewable heat technology.”

Many people think the UK isn’t hot enough for solar panels, but according to the Solar Trade Association (STA), the UK receives 60% of the solar energy received on the equator. What’s more, panels don’t only work in full sunlight – diffused radiation is picked up on cloudy days and direct radiation on clear days. This means solar panels can absorb heat, to some extent, most of the year.

How does solar thermal heating work?

Radiation is captured by two types of solar collectors fitted to the roof; either plate collectors or evacuated tubes. Flat plate collectors are made of sheets of metal which absorb heat, this heat is transferred via pipes running beneath panels to an exchanger. Evacuated tubes are around10-15% more efficient as they are made of a series of glass heat tubes grouped together and insulated to prevent heat loss.

Jonathan Mione, who works for Intelligent Energy Solutions in Leicestershire says: “Flat plate collectors are cheaper and more common, but evacuated tubes are good for limited space and places where it is very cold or windy because the tubes are insulted, like a thermos flask.”

A water cylinder is also needed to store the heated water; often solar thermal systems are connected to the domestic boiler or immersion heater to store or top up water to 60 degrees for use.

Benefits of solar thermal heating

Solar heating could save you
£50 - £85 a year off your heating bills

Installing solar thermal heating will:

• Cut your CO2 emissions - Solar thermal heating could save 250kg of CO2 off of gas heating and 580kg off of electric says the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
  
• Lower your heating bills – the STA say that solar thermal heating could provide a family of four with 50 - 65% of their hot water needs per year. According to the EST solar thermal can reduce your heating bills by around £50- £85 depending on what kind of heating you are replacing.
• Be easy to install – Jonathan says: “Panels are easy to install, taking three to four days depending on whether we need to install a new water cylinder as well.”
• Need limited maintenance - panels require very little maintenance except cleaning. The EST recommends a service every three to five years but: “Panels should last around 25 years,” says renewable energy advisor Jonathan.

Is your home suitable for solar thermal heating?

“Solar thermal definitely benefits those who use lots of hot water, a family for instance rather than a smaller household,” Jonathan adds. You should also look at your roof; panels work best when placed on one with an incline of 35 degrees on an ideally south facing roof with an area of at least five meters squared. However, panels can be placed on east and west facing roofs; they will just be less effective. If you have a flat roof solar panels can be mounted and tilted on a frame; “This means you will probably need to apply for planning permission though,” says Jonathan.

In England if you live in a listed building, conservation area or world heritage site then you will need to apply for planning permission for solar panels. Planning shouldn’t be a problem on other properties as long as you follow guidelines, which include making sure the panels don’t protrude more than 200mm and that they take up no more than a nine meters squared space. Always check with the local authority to see if you need planning permission if you live in Wales, Scotland or Ireland.

Grants of £400 are available for
installing solar thermal heating

Cost of solar thermal heating

The price of installing solar thermal heating will vary depending on the size and type of system. Jonathan suggests that: “Three panels, with a new hot water cylinder and all the plumbing and electrical installation could cost around £4,800.”

Grants of £300 towards the cost of installing solar thermal heating are currently available under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). To be eligible for the grant you need to hire an installer who is registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

The Renewable Heat Incentive

Starting in 2013, you could earn money from producing solar thermal heat at home under the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive. The scheme is similar to the feed-in tariff system launched this April which gives cash back to those who produce renewable electricity at home with, for example, solar PV.