A solar power heating system is just one way you can harness the power of the sun in your home and is the most popular form of domestic solar power in Ireland. By converting the energy of the sun into heat your solar power heating system can provide a typical home with approximately 60-70% of the required hot water demand per year. That will be a massive saving on your heating bill!
The solar heating system works by using panels of evacuated tubes or flat plate collectors which are usually positioned on the roof of the home. For maximum efficiency the panels should be on southeast to southwest facing roof and should not be overshadowed by trees or other obstructions. A typical installation would only require 5m2 of roof space.
There are three main components to a domestic solar hot water heating system; the solar panels, a heat transfer system (solar pump and controller) and a hot water cylinder. | |
| Solar Panels help Reduce Costs | | Reducing costs is always a factor in making sound investment decisions for the future. Since the introduction of the carbon emission taxes in 2009, it makes more and more sense to invest in your home or business to safeguard them from the instability and spiraling cost of fuel and heating prices. Solar panels have a quick payback period and the decision to switch has never been easier. | |
| Types of panels | Evacuated tube collector
Each evacuated tube solar collector consists of a highly insulated manifold and a row of solar tubes. The vacuum inside each tube provides perfect insulation and therefore protects the system from outside influences such as cold and windy weather or high humidity. The vacuum technology ensures the most effective transfer of energy into heat, giving extra performance in comparison to traditional flat plate collectors and providing heat not only on warm, sunny days, but also in cooler, windy or humid conditions.
Flat plate collector
A typical flat-plate collector is a metal box with a glass or plastic cover on top and a dark-colored absorber plate on the bottom. The sides and bottom of the collector are usually insulated to minimize heat loss, they are still the most common type of collector used for water heating in many countries despite being inferior to evacuated tube collectors in many ways. Flat plate collectors can be mounted on roof or in roof. | |
