Systems have been available since the 1970s and have been developed to suit many applications. Energy radiated by the sun is collected by the solar panels and converted into heat to provide hot water, under floor heating and even heating a swimming pool.

A properly designed and sized solar hot water system will typically collect 2000 – 2500 kWh of solar energy providing 1000- 1500 kWh delivered energy per year. It will also displace a greater amount of fossil fuel energy than the solar domestic hot water delivers .This amount depends on which fossil fuel is being displaced and the auxiliary heat source efficiency when providing domestic hot water condensing gas boiler efficiency when providing DHW is 45% and an electric immersion is 70%). The system will also offset between 200-800kg of carbon dioxide emissions subject to system size and fossil fuel used.

There are two types of panel:
 Flat plates that provides approximately 30% efficiency.
 Evacuated tube which provides approximately 40% efficiency

Solar panels can be mounted on a framework or integrated into the roof, which may be a requirement in conservation area etc. Solar panels harness the suns energy and transfer it to a vented or unvented cylinder. The anti-freeze mixture is pumped around in flexible stainless steel hoses.

Benefits

Reduced fuel costs

Reduced carbon footprint

Value to property and more saleable

If converting to unvented cylinder increased hot water pressure and attic space