There are a number of renewable technologies you could consider for your home, from heat pumps, to biomass boilers, to solar panels. Renewables help to reduce energy bills and avoid the National Grid prices, instead generating free heat or electricity for the home.
Even with solar panels there are two different types you could consider: Solar PV to generate electricity and solar thermal collectors to generate heat. Whilst solar PV systems are the more popular of the two options in the UK, solar thermal systems have seen a boost in recent times too.
Solar PV is the more popular for a number of reasons, mainly because of the lucrative feed-in tariff which pays out a guaranteed income for 20 years. But with solar thermal now receiving a similar incentive and installations being cheaper, perhaps a turn in the tide is just around the corner.
Solar thermal collectors provide heat for both space and hot water heating. Considering heat takes up 60% of your annual fuel bill, there’s a fantastic saving to potentially be made. Panels are fitted to your roof and for optimal efficiency it’s best to have them placed on a south or southwest facing rooftop.
Once installed by an accredited MCS registered company, the panels will start generating heat by capturing the sun’s rays. Heat is collected and used to warm your central heating system. As well as the solar thermal collectors you should also have a boiler or immersion heater in place to increase the temperature when needed and for use when daylight isn’t available.
In the UK there are two types of solar thermal collectors to consider:
- Evacuated tubes
- Flat plate collectors
It’s not just the hot water that can be heated with the solar thermal collectors either and large panels can be fitted to provide suitable space heating as well. It’s often not taken up though because the amount generated tends to be quite small, leaving the systems to provide hot water alone.
If you’re considering solar thermal panels for your home, then look to collectors to generate hot water and slash your bills by hundreds of pounds every year, whilst earning with the Renewable Heat Incentive at the same time.
Facts & Figures You’ll Love To Share
- [tweetable alt=””]Solar thermal panels generate heat for your home, reducing bills by between £55 and £80 a year.[/tweetable]
- [tweetable alt=””]Did you know your heating accounts for 60% of your energy bills? Solar panels can help to slash your expenses.[/tweetable]
- [tweetable alt=””]Lucrative Government incentives ensure you’re paid hundreds of pounds every year for the renewable heat your system produces.[/tweetable]
- [tweetable alt=””]You can receive a grant worth up to £600 off the installation of solar thermal panels with the RHPP scheme.[/tweetable]
- [tweetable alt=””]Solar thermal panels offer an escape from the rising price of grid gas and electricity and will secure your energy future.[/tweetable]