Question 1

Can I install solar thermal panels myself?

Accepted Answer

In theory, you can install solar thermal panels yourself. But it’s best to leave it to professionals. We’ll explain why here. Solar thermal panels work in a similar way to solar PV panels. They use collectors, in the form of evacuated tubes or flat plate collectors, to collect heat from the sun and use it to heat up water that’s stored in a hot water cylinder. You can use a boiler or immersion heater as a back-up to heat the water further so it’s at the temperature you want. So should you install a solar thermal system yourself? It certainly seems tempting since you can buy full solar thermal DIY kits with everything you need for £1,500 to £2,000. To have a solar hot water system installed by a professional, you’re looking at between £5,000 and £6,000, so it looks like there’s a significant saving to be made. However, if you want to take advantage of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments, which is a Government scheme where you’re paid for using a renewable energy source to heat your home and/or its hot water, you can’t install it yourself. You need to engage a Microgeneration Certification Scheme-registered installer who can issue you with a certificate to say that the solar thermal panels have been installed correctly. For a 4m2 system that serves a 4-person household, the payments could be up to £375 per year. That means you could pay your system off within 14 years, and that’s not taking into account any of the savings you’ll make on your energy bills. So, while you can install solar thermal panels yourself, it’s much better in the long term to have them installed by an MCS-registered company.

Question 2

Who makes solar thermal panels?

Accepted Answer

There are a few trusted companies in the UK that make solar panels. While there are other solar thermal panels out there that are made by Chinese and American companies, we’ll focus on the brands with a longstanding presence in the UK since these are the panels MCS-registered solar companies are likely to recommend to you.

Viessmann, Worcester Bosch, Solar UK and Dimplex make some of the best solar thermal panels in the UK. Dimplex and Viessmann offer both flat plate and evacuated tube solar panels, while Solar UK only offers evacuated tubes. Worcester Bosch’s Greenskies range are all flat plate collectors. Viessmann’s panels come with a 5-year warranty, while Worcester Bosch and Dimplex offer extensive 10-year warranties. However, Solar UK offer a comprehensive 25-year warranty and guarantee that the panels will deliver the same level of performance for 25 years!

We’d recommend choosing evacuated tube solar thermal panels because they are the most efficient. While there won’t be much difference between evacuated tubes and flat plates in the summer, in the winter evacuated tubes are much better at taking heat from the sun than flat plates. Since our winters are long and cold with few daylight hours, we think it makes sense to go with evacuated tubes. However, if your priority is looks over maximising efficiency, you might want to choose flat plate collectors since they sit flat on the roof and look more like solar PV panels, whereas the evacuated tubes will stick out.

Question 3

How much do solar thermal panels cost?

Accepted Answer

How much solar thermal panels cost in total will depend on whether you’re engaging an MCS-registered installer to fit them for you or whether you’re going to do it yourself. We’d always recommend that you get a reputable company to install them for you, since they have all the relevant skills and training to do the best job. However, there are DIY solar thermal panel kits out there that have everything you need to install them. If you get an MCS-registered company to install your solar thermal panels, you should expect to spend between £4,000 and £5,000. If you buy a solar thermal panel kit online, it will set you back between £1,500 and £2,000 - but you won’t be able to claim Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments. The RHI is a Government scheme that pays you for every unit of heat that you generate from renewable sources, including solar thermal panels. If you’re in a 6-person household and you installed a 6m2 system, you could earn up to £525 per year for seven years. That means that you could pay off over half your system with these payments. Plus, if you’re switching from gas fuel, you can expect to save £60 a year on your bills, but switch from LPG and it could be as much as £100 a year. So while the cost of solar thermal panels will be more upfront if you choose to get them installed by an MCS-registered professional, you could make half the cost back in RHI payments and fuel bill savings, so it’s well worth getting them fitted properly.

Question 4

Is solar thermal worth it in the UK?

Accepted Answer

We certainly think solar thermal is worth it in the UK. While we have cold winters that affects the amount of sunlight we get during those months, solar thermal panels can still generate a little heat in the winter on sunny days, and your back-up boiler or immersion heater can do the rest. The average cost of a 6m2 solar thermal system in the UK is £4,500. While that might seem like a lot of money up front, you’ll be able to make back some of that cost through Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments. The RHI is a Government scheme that pays you for every unit of renewable heat that you generate, and a 6m2 system could earn you up to £525 per year over seven years. That means you could end up paying less than £1,000 for free renewable heat for your home! As well as the RHU, you’ll see a saving on your fuel bills since you’ll be less reliant on your traditional form of heating. If you have a natural gas boiler, you could save up to £60 a year on your bills, while if you’re switching from LPG the savings could be as much as £100 per year. So, we definitely think solar thermal is worth it in the UK! Plus, you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint and contributing to cleaner air for everyone in the country, so you can feel good knowing that you’re doing your bit.

Avg. price low	Avg. price low £2,280
Avg. price	Avg. price £2,850
Avg. price high	Avg. price high £4,275

	Material cost	£2,800
	Waste removal	£50

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