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Asides from the fact that solar energy can be converted into electricity with the help of solar panels, there’s also another pretty cool way the sun’s power can be harnessed - solar thermal technologies. These technologies are able to convert sunlight into heat rather than power and these are in fact the very first solar energy products that were commercialized in the United Kingdom. Solar thermal panels, in a similar way to solar PVs, can help in minimizing your carbon footprint while also assisting you to save good money on your energy bills by providing the much needed coverage for your heating needs with the help of a renewable energy source that’s totally free.

Solar thermal panels provides some great benefits which is capable of making all homeowners in the UK consider installing one in their respective homes. Let’s take a closer look at these benefits.

✓ When compared to solar PV panels, they’re a more affordable heating option and also have a shorter payback period.

✓ Solar thermal panels are more efficient than PV panels due to the fact that the heat waves are able to hold more energy than sunlight and also because there’s no electricity transformation process.

✓ Solar thermal panels are able to operate in cold climates, strong wind as well as overcast weather, and make use of an energy storage system.

✓ They can help you save about 600kg of carbon dioxide emissions on an annual basis.

✓ Although most of the solar thermal panel systems come with a warranty usually within the range of 5 to 10 years, they’re able to last up to 25 years. What’s more? The require just a little maintenance, meaning the main cost you’d have to worry about is the cost of installation.

Whether installing an air source heat pump will help you save money depends on your property, how long you expect to live there, and the type of heat pump you get.

Air source heat pumps are initially quite expensive to install. However, if you get an air-to-water air source heat pump, you’re eligible for money from the Renewable Heat Incentive [https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/grants-loans/renewables/renewable-heat-incentive] (RHI). This is a UK government scheme that gives you quarterly cash payments over seven years if you install an eligible renewable heating technology (air-to-air air source heat pumps aren’t included).

All this means that if you have long-term plans to stay in your property, then an air-to-water air source heat pump can be a great way to save money on your heating bills. However, if you’re planning on moving out of your property relatively soon, or are a considering an air-to-air air source heat pump, it may not be the best financial option for you.

It’s important to remember that air source heat pumps are at their most efficient when installed in very well insulated properties. If your property’s not very energy efficient, you may find that a heat pump won’t help you save money.

Like every other systems in your home, solar hot water systems will require periodic inspections as well as a regular maintenance in order to keep it running as efficiently as it should. Not only that, the various components will also require either repair or replacement from time to time. It’ll also be proactive to take the necessary precautions so as to prevent worrying issues like corrosion, scaling or freezing.

Is it a task you can handle on your own? Well, there are some inspections and maintenance activities you should be able to handle on your own, however, you’ll also require a qualified technician to carry out the more technical or complicated tasks. You should also take note that it may actually be more cost effective to have some systems replaced, shut off or removed completely than having it repaired. Here are some of the essential inspections that should be carried out on solar system components. They include:

✓ Collector soiling. Periodic cleaning of your collectors is important especially in dry and dusty climates.

✓ Plumbing, ductwork and wire connections. Check the pipe connections for fluid leaks. Examine duct connections and seals. Also make sure that all wire connections are tight.

✓ Roof penetrations. Flashing and sealant around the roof penetration should be checked to see that it’s in a good shape.

✓ Collector shading. Check for shading of the collectors on annual basis as this may greatly affect their performance.

✓ Support structures. Examine all bolts and nuts which connects the support structures to the collectors for tightness.

✓ Heat transfer fluids. Anti freeze solutions in liquid solar heating collectors will have to be replaced periodically. And this right here is a task that’s best handled by a licensed technician.

If you’re looking to install a solar thermal system in your home, this is usually one of the first concerns several homeowners have. Being fully aware that solar water heating systems are usually more expensive than their counterparts - the conventional water heating systems, the question arises whether or not you’ll be able to save some money from your solar water heating system in the long run. In this article, we aim provide an answer to this important question. Let’s take a closer look!

When it comes to solar thermal systems, the money you’ll be able to save in the long run depends on a wide range of factors. These factor includes:

✓ Your system’s performance.

✓ Your geographical location and solar resource

✓ Your household’s hot water demand

✓ Financing and incentive options that are available.

✓ The cost of fuel that’s being used for your alternative or backup water heating system, if you own one.

✓ The cost of conventional fuels such as oil, electricity or natural gas.

There are several benefits, however, that comes with the installation of a solar water heating system. Since the sun is absolutely free, future fuel shortages and price hikes will have little impact on you. Also, on the average if you decide to fit a solar thermal system your water heating bills is expected to drop about 50 percent to 80 percent. What’s more? The economics are even a lot more attractive when you’re just about to build a new home or refinancing. When you include the price of a solar water system in a 30 year mortgage, it’ll normally amount to very low price per month. Therefore, on a monthly basis you’ll be saving more and paying less.

If you’re considering installing ground source heat pump, it’s likely you’re also wondering just how deep it’ll go into the ground to be efficient. Well, the initial step to take while determining the ground source heat pump’s design is to research the different options available to reduce the space heating as well as hot water demand. To achieve this, there must be an accurate measurement of energy efficiency which is usually done by getting an Energy Performance Certificate ( EPC) . This is helpful as such that it helps to identify the most suitable or the right size of heat pumps which will help reduce the consumption of energy, heat loss as well as hot water needs of the house.

Generally, ground source heat pumps are usually more compatible with new builds against retrofits. What’s more? The heat pump has two different types of loop systems :

✓ The open loop system and;

✓ The closed loop system.

The open loop system absorbs water from the ground and transfers this ground water via a heat pump to where it carries out the extraction of heat. Meanwhile the closed loop system extracts heat from the ground and incorporates a continuous loop of piping that’s linked to the indoor heat pump. There are a few types of closed loop system, these includes:

✓ The Horizontal Ground Source Heat Pump. This is installed in horizontal trenches of about 1 to 2 metres deep. This is more common in areas where land is readily available.

✓ The Vertical Ground Source Heat Pump. These boreholes are a more costly option but it’s also the best option when land is not readily available for horizontal installation. The insulation hole is dug at a minimum of 6 metres into the ground, while the entire piping will be at a depth of about 50 to 150 metres based on your home’s heat requirements as well as the ground’s composition.

If you’re thinking about installing a solar thermal system in your house, it’s always important to put into consideration numerous factors before you proceed. While some solar thermal systems are suitable for use at home, there are also some that are suitable for businesses or organizations which normally requires a big amount of hot water like hotels, restaurants, schools, hospitals and many more. You’ll also find some types available in the market that are suitable for communities to satisfy communal hot water demands.

It should, however, be noted that solar thermal systems do not have the capacity to produce all the hot water demand of a house. In the UK, an average household will need an annual water heating of between 3000kWh to 5000kWh. Whereas, a solar thermal system is only able to meet about 40 percent to 60 percent of this demand.

With that in mind, it’s also worth noting that during the summer months when the solar radiation is at its peak and hot water demand is relatively lower when compared to other seasons, a solar thermal system may be able to provide all of your household’s hot water needs. This implies that during this period you may not find the need to operate your boiler at all. However, during winter or colder months, when you have a higher hot water demands in contrary to a lower solar radiation, a solar thermal system will only be able to take care of about 20 percent of your household’s hot water needs. And that ultimately implies that during this period, you’ll need to rely more on a alternative or backup source of heat like gas, coal, electricity, oil or LPG.

Are you interested in fitting a ground source heat hump in your home? If yes, then one of the thing you’d probably like to know is whether or not the heat pump is noisy. In this article, we seek to provide you with necessary information that’ll solve these mystery.

One thing you should when it comes to heating products is that they all make some noise. However, they’re usually a lot quieter when compared to fossil fuel heating systems. Generally, a ground source heat pump can reach within the range of 40 to 60 decibels depending on the manufacturer of the product as well as it’s installation.

The noise levels of heat pumps are a major concern for several homeowners. However, the fact is when the system becomes a nuisance or becomes noisy, that is always a sign of poor planning as well as poor quality installation. This is because heat pumps, in general, are not usually noisy.

In ground source heat pumps, volume isn’t quite associated due to the lack of a fan unit. However, it remains a very common question for homeowners who intends to install a ground source heat pump to ask whether or not the type of heat pump is noisy. Just like any other heating product, there are components in the ground source heat pump that produces some noise but this is always not as much as that of an air source heat pump. This is due to the fact that the heat coming from the ground is more consistent, hence the compressor’s power capacity wouldn’t be as high. What’s more? This type of heat pump doesn’t also work at full throttle which also plays a key role in its low noise level.

Solar cells , also referred to as photovoltaic cells (PV), absorbs energy from the sun and converts it to generate electricity. This, however, should not be confused with photovoltaic thermal cells or PVT which operates to generate heat for water in homes. Solar cells are linked electrically and also carefully organized into a large frame which is popularly called solar panels. Generally, solar cells are produced or made of silicon semi conductors which works to absorb sunlight and then turn it into electricity for use at a home. A solar panel comprises of either 60 or 72 solar cells which are electrically interconnected in series and parallel and also positioned in between glass and plastic which is then framed.

At present, solar panels incorporated for residential or domestic purposes only possesses the capacity to make use of only about 20 percent of the sunlight they’re able to absorb and convert it to electricity - also called solar efficiency. Available in the market are also a wide range of solar cell available for both industrial and commercial purposes. This type of solar panels have an efficiency rating of about 40 percent which will also automatically make them more costly than the domestic types.

One great thing about the solar industry is the fact that it keeps improving in such a way that raises both its efficiency as well as overall quality. And with further research and development, this is expected to even increase as the years go by. What’s more? As these aspects keep rising, it’s also expected that the solar panels price should be on a decrease. That way, they’ll become available to a wider range of individuals who’ll also like to save money on electricity bills and go greener.