Question 1

can solar thermal be used for central heating?

Accepted Answer

If you’re thinking about getting a solar thermal system for your home, it’s normal to consider the possibility of using the system for central heating. So is this viable? In this article, you’ll learn how solar thermal panels can be incorporated for heating. Let’s have a closer look!

Heating and hot water systems, on the average, takes up a sizeable part ( up to 70 percent) of our energy bills. Now take a moment to imagine how cool it’ll be to generate your own hot water for free without having to depend on any supplier which in turn significantly reduces your energy bills. Well, this is exactly the work of central heating systems that are powered by solar. That’s super cool, right? Well, let’s have a look at how this works.

While solar panels generates electricity, solar thermal panels produces heat for hot water production. However, what’s important is the fact that they both make use of the sun’s natural energy to provide us with a free and renewable energy we can use in our homes. Here’s how it works.

Solar thermal panels directed at central heating incorporates the sun’s natural energy to heat water in a storage cylinder which is then available for use at home. These solar thermal panels are exposed to the sunlight by fitting them on the roof of the home. Generally, they’ll include tubes that contains liquid whose job is to collect the heat and then transfer it to a hot water cylinder that’s solar compatible in your home. The heat is generated for free and is also renewable. This is help you save lots of money on oil, gas and even electricity which you purchase to power the cylinder.

Question 2

How much do solar batteries cost?

Accepted Answer

How much solar batteries cost depends on the brand and type of battery and its capacity. At the moment, the cost is quite high because the technology is still new – but they will probably reduce, just like we saw the cost of solar panels reduce as the technology became more popular. It’s a great idea to get a solar battery installed with your solar panel system if you’re out most of the day. If you didn’t have a battery, all that electricity would simply go to the National Grid – but if you have a storage system, then while your solar panels are generating electricity in the day, it would get stored in the battery ready for you to use when you get home. Lithium-ion solar batteries are the most widely-used ones at the moment because they generally have a higher capacity and are more cost-effective. For a 3-4kWh battery, which would store enough electricity for a typical 4kW solar panel system, it will set you back an average of £3,400. If you need a larger battery, it could cost anywhere up to £6,000. Lead acid batteries are cheaper, and it can seem tempting to ask an installer to fit one for you – but they aren’t cheaper in the long run. While a 4kWh lead acid battery may only cost around £2,000, their life cycle is only around 1,800 cycles. A lithium-ion battery that costs around £4,000 would have a life cycle of about 4,000 cycles. That means that while the upfront cost is more, you won’t have to replace it as quickly as a lead acid one.

Question 3

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 4

How long do solar panels last?

Accepted Answer

How long your solar panels will last depends on their age and quality. Most modern solar panels have 20-30 year warranties, but this doesn’t mean that they’ll stop working at this point. Many will stay at a good efficiency level for up to 40 years, while others will start to decline earlier.

Question 5

Should I clean solar PV panels myself

Accepted Answer

If your solar panels are mounted on your roof and you require a ladder to reach them we would always recommend you get a professional to do the work for your own safety.

Question 6

How does solar energy work?

Accepted Answer

Solar energy comes from the sun. Solar panels absorb sunlight, and convert it into electricity. This can be used to power heating systems, lighting and appliances. You can also get solar thermal systems, which use solar energy to warm hot water.

Solar energy is a type of renewable energy, because sunlight is considered to be in unlimited supply.

Question 7

What are solar panels made of?

Accepted Answer

Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells. These cells are made from silicon semiconductors, which absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity.

There are three main types of PV cell: monocrystalline solar cells, polycrystalline solar cells, and thin film solar cells. Monocrystalline cells are usually the most efficient and expensive, and thin film solar cells are the cheapest and least efficient. These are all made from silicone, but are manufactured in different ways.

Question 8

How much do solar panels cost?

Accepted Answer

The cost of solar panels has reduced significantly over the years. While a system may have cost you up to £20,000 in the early days, that’s not the case anymore. So how much do solar panels cost today? The cost of an average 4kW system on an average home will set you back between £4,500-6,500. But pair that with the savings on your electricity bills and payments that you can receive from the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), the net cost could be much less. The SEG is a payment from your energy supplier for any electricity that you don’t use and send back to the grid. Each energy supplier can set their own rate, but it must be above zero at all times. This replaces the Feed-in Tariff Scheme (FITs) which used to pay solar panel owners per kW of electricity they generated as well as that which they sent back to the grid. This was a much more lucrative scheme which saw homeowners earn back the cost of their system within a few years, but it ended in March 2019. Now, with the SEG and your savings on your electricity bills, you could save up to £330 a year – meaning you could break even within 14 years. Solar panel systems are likely to last up to 25 years, so they’re still well worth investing in. Combine that with the saving of 1.29 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, and you’ve done your bit for the environment.

Solar Panel Installer job	Solar Panel Installer cost in 2025
Solar panel in Deal	£4,650-£7,130
Solar thermal in Deal	£3,000-£4,600
Commercal solar pv 11kw - 50kw in Deal	£11,200-£16,800
small Commercial solar panel system in Deal	£7,200-£10,800
Commercial solar pv 51kw+ system in Deal	£44,000-£66,000
Thermodynamic (solar hot water) in Deal	£4,125-£6,325
Solar battery in Deal	£3,080-£5,390
Supply-only solar electricity in Deal	£2,600-£4,875
Solar repair and maintenance in Deal	£375-£575
Supply-only solar thermal panels in Deal	£2,280-£4,275
Solar tiles in Deal	£4,760-£7,140
Solar panel cleaning in Deal	£100-£200
Solar panels with battery in Deal	£3,400-£5,100

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