{"id":270,"date":"2017-04-12T21:24:07","date_gmt":"2017-04-12T20:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advice.quotatis.co.uk\/?post_type=project_page&p=270"},"modified":"2017-11-01T12:29:13","modified_gmt":"2017-11-01T12:29:13","slug":"solar-hot-water","status":"publish","type":"project_page","link":"https:\/\/www.local-quotes.co.uk\/advice\/guide\/solar-panels\/solar-hot-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Solar Hot Water"},"content":{"rendered":"

Solar hot water panels, also known as solar thermal panels, are fitted to your roof to collect heat from the sun and use it to heat your water, which is stored in a hot water cylinder. You can use a boiler or immersion heater as a backup to further heat up the water to reach the temperature you want.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Solar hot water panels are fitted to your roof to collect heat from the sun and use it to heat your water, which is stored in a hot water cylinder. You can use a boiler or immersion heater as a backup to further heat up the water to reach the temperature you want.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":274,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":[],"tags":[],"tax_works":[8],"class_list":["post-270","project_page","type-project_page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tax_works-solar-panels"],"acf":{"testimonials":false,"inspirations":false,"faq":[321,322,323,327],"quote_link":"https:\/\/www.quotatis.co.uk\/quotes.html?keyword=solar-panels&sqn=115897&spn=810","project_page_element_title":"Types of Solar Hot Water Systems","project_page_elements":[{"element_label":"Evacuated Tubes","link_to_element_post":{"ID":271,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2017-04-11 14:22:44","post_date_gmt":"2017-04-11 13:22:44","post_content":"Evacuated tube solar panels are the most expensive but most efficient type of solar hot water system. They have a conversion rate of 90%<\/strong>, so they can produce more heat than other types of solar thermal panels.\r\n\r\n

How do evacuated tube panels work?<\/h3>\r\nAn evacuated tube is made up of a smaller glass tube which is kept in a larger tube. The air is pumped out of the space between the inner tube and the outer tube, which creates a vacuum thermal insulation layer. This layer reduces heat loss from the solar collector.\r\n\r\nThe inner glass tube is coated with a selective light absorber such as aluminium nitrate or titanium nitrate oxide. This helps maximise the absorption of solar radiation. An absorber plate runs through the inner glass tube. This is usually made of copper, and absorbs heat and transfers it to a heat transfer fluid.\r\n\r\nWhen the transfer liquid gets hot, it evaporates and turns to steam, which rises to the top of the panel and the heat is transferred via a heat exchanger to another liquid. The cycle then starts all over again once the transfer fluid condenses and falls back down the evacuated tube.\r\n\r\nSince evacuated tube solar panels are the most expensive, you might be unsure if they are right for you. Take a look at the pros and cons to help you decide.\r\n\r\n

Pros<\/h3>\r\n

You'll produce more heat than other systems<\/h4>\r\nAs the panels are 90% efficient, you'll produce more heat with evacuated tube panels than flat plate collectors. Although you may spend more on installation, you'll be able to heat more hot water, which should save you more money.\r\n\r\n\"evacuated\r\n

You'll save up to \u00a360 per year on your gas bill<\/h4>\r\nIf you have gas heating, you should see a saving of \u00a360 per year on your heating bill. Solar hot water is free to generate, so you'll notice the difference on your bill within a few months.\r\n

Save 270kg CO2<\/sub> compared with gas<\/h4>\r\nSolar thermal panels are a great way to cut your carbon footprint. They generate heat from the sun, a renewable resource, so you'll be doing your bit to reduce the use of fossil fuels and reverse global warming.\r\n

Get hot water throughout the year<\/h4>\r\nDespite the UK's winter being cold, you can still get some free hot water from your solar panels throughout the year.\r\n

Earn an average of \u00a3349 per year from the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)<\/h4>\r\nAs long as you get your system installed by an MCS-registered installer<\/a>, you may be able to earn money for generating heat with your solar hot water system through the government's Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). A 2m2<\/sup> system, which is usually sufficient for a 2 person household, will earn you \u00a3200 per year from the RHI, whereas a 4m2<\/sup> system will earn you \u00a3345.\r\n

Cons<\/h3>\r\n

You may need a backup heater<\/h4>\r\nDuring the winter, you may not be able to get your hot water to the desired temperature. That means you'll need a backup heater, which of course will cost you money on electricity or gas.\r\n

Solar thermal panels aren't compatible with combi boilers<\/h4>\r\nCombi boilers provide instant hot water and don't have a separate water tank. They're not compatible with solar hot water systems, so if you want a solar system you will have to change your boiler. This will drive the cost up by at least \u00a31000.","post_title":"The Advantages and Disadvantages of Evacuated Tube Solar Panels","post_excerpt":"Evacuated tube solar panels are the most efficient, with a conversion efficiency of over 90%. They are made of a collection of glass tubes, each of which has a small tube inside, which is coated with a selective light absorber.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"evacuated-tube","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2017-11-01 16:25:25","post_modified_gmt":"2017-11-01 16:25:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/advice.quotatis.co.uk\/?post_type=project_page_element&p=271","menu_order":0,"post_type":"project_page_element","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}},{"element_label":"Flat Plate Collectors","link_to_element_post":{"ID":272,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2017-04-13 15:53:50","post_date_gmt":"2017-04-13 14:53:50","post_content":"Solar hot water systems, including flat plate collectors, use sunlight to heat water. They can be combined with a regular boiler, system boiler or immersion heater to ensure that a property is warm and has enough hot water whatever the season or time of day.\r\n\r\nFlat plate collectors are one type of solar hot water system. They come in the form of panels that can be fitted onto roofs, walls or frames. The collectors are quite thin but have a large surface area to absorb as much heat as possible.\r\n\r\nOn average, 30cm\u00b2 of panel can generate a day\u2019s worth of hot water for a typical household.\r\n\r\nTo help you decide whether you should get flat plate collectors for your property, we\u2019ve come up with a list of their pros and cons.\r\n

Pros<\/h3>\r\n

Save money on your energy bill<\/h5>\r\nAs sunlight is free, installing flat plate collectors is a great way to save money on your yearly energy bill. If you have a gas heating system you could save \u00a360 and if you have electric immersion heating you could save \u00a375.\r\n
Earn money through the Renewable Heat Incentive<\/h5>\r\nIf your system is fitted by an MCS-registered installer<\/a>, you could earn money for using solar power to heat water through the government\u2019s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). A 2m\u00b2 system, which is usual for a 2 person household, could earn you \u00a3200 per year. A 6m\u00b2 system, suitable for a 6 person household, could earn you as much as \u00a3485!\r\n
Cut your carbon footprint<\/h5>\r\nIf you want to help the environment, installing flat plate collectors is a great thing to do. Solar power is a form of renewable energy. By using sunlight instead of non-renewable fuels, you\u2019ll be doing your bit to reduce the use of fossil fuels and cut your carbon footprint.\r\n
Get hot water throughout the year<\/h5>\r\nAlthough winter in the UK is chilly, this doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not sunny. So you should be able to get some hot water from your solar collectors throughout the year.\r\n

Cons<\/h3>\r\n

You\u2019ll probably need a backup heater<\/h5>\r\nSolar hot water systems can be very efficient. But as it\u2019s not sunny all the time, you\u2019ll probably need a backup heater. You can either combine your solar system with a regular or system boiler or install an immersion heater to boost your water temperature when needed.\r\n
Solar hot water systems aren\u2019t compatible with combi boilers<\/h5>\r\nSolar hot water systems need an external hot water cylinder. As combi boilers don\u2019t have one, they\u2019re not compatible with solar hot water systems. So if you have a combi boiler and want a solar hot water system, you\u2019ll have to pay extra to change your boiler.\r\n
Flat plate collectors can be less efficient than other systems<\/h5>\r\nAlthough flat plate collectors are generally very effective, they can be slightly less efficient than evacuated tube solar panels. They are also slightly less compact.","post_title":"Solar Flat Plate Collectors: the Pros and Cons","post_excerpt":"Flat plate collectors have been around since the 1950s. They are made up of a flat plate absorber with an insulated cover, a heat transferring liquid containing antifreeze and an insulated backing.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"flat-plate-collectors","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2017-11-01 16:33:58","post_modified_gmt":"2017-11-01 16:33:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/advice.quotatis.co.uk\/?post_type=project_page_element&p=272","menu_order":0,"post_type":"project_page_element","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}}],"standard_and_laws":[{"standard_and_laws_link":{"ID":283,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2017-04-11 15:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2017-04-11 14:01:32","post_content":"While the upfront costs of solar thermal hot water systems<\/a> can be high (approx. \u00a33,000 to \u00a35,000 for a mid-size system), the RHI will provide an extra return on this investment.\n\nThis extra return can be added to the potential fuel savings you will gain by switching to a renewable fuel. This calculates how long it will take for the upfront cost of the new system to be matched by the money that you save. The RHI can significantly reduce this duration.\n\nThe domestic RHI scheme was established to target properties that are not supplied by mains gas as you can make the most savings from renewable heat systems. But you can still make savings if you switch from gas, and the RHI is available to all domestic homes.\n\n\"flat\n

Am I eligible for RHI?<\/h3>\n