We have been using the sun's heat since time immemorial. In summer, it heats our buildings directly, whilst in winter we make use of stored solar energy in the form of wood, coal, oil and gas, to provide heat for our buildings and domestic hot water. To protect fuel reserves accumulated over millions of years, the heating industry has committed itself to finding more responsible ways of handling these precious resources.
One rational way of achieving this aim is to make direct use of solar energy by means of solar panels. Thanks to the use of highly sophisticated collectors and a perfectly matched overall system, the economic use of solar energy is not just a vision for the future, but a reality for today. Considering that fuel prices will continue to rise in the years ahead, investing in a solar heating system can be viewed as a genuine investment in the future.
The sun's energy is free, effective and never going to run out. A home solar system reduces emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2, the greenhouse gas) by about three quarters of a ton every year. So your solar system is good for the environment, too.
Obviously the intensity of the sun's rays varies from season to season. We can judge the efficiency of a solar system by considering what proportion of our hot water needs can be met by a solar system supplying domestic hot water. In the case of the average home or flat it averages 60%. From May to October solar energy will be almost sufficient to cover your total domestic hot water requirements. In the transitional months solar heating can usefully support the central heating system, resulting in a significant reduction in oil or gas consumption over any one year.
How does solar heating work?
The sun's heat is collected, stored and used when needed. Flat or tubular solar collectors absorb the heat from the sun. Here a liquid is heated by the sun's rays and fed to the water tank. There the heat is transferred by a heat exchanger to the domestic hot water supply or the central heating circuit. The fluid which is now cooler is returned to the collector for reheating - and the cycle continues. If there is not enough sun, in the winter for example, then the boiler will top up the heat.
Benefits of Solar Heating
Solar water heating has the greatest return on your investment and is the most efficient form of solar energy currently available. Solar is an affordable, easy way to start reducing your utility bills.
Solar Water Heating (SWH) technologies are a simple, reliable, and cost-effective method of harnessing the sun's energy to provide for the energy needs of homes and businesses. And now the new Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows you receive a federal tax credit worth 30% of the system cost! This is the best time to reap the numerous benefits of solar power!
- Solar Water Heaters Work In Every Climate: Today's SWH technologies can be operated efficiently and affordably in any climate. Systems are specifically designed for various climatic and geographical areas of the country.
- Reduce Energy Costs: By installing a SWH system, a typical household can meet 50 to 80 percent of their hot water needs. In southern climates, a SWH unit can meet nearly 100 percent of a household's hot water needs.
- Proven Efficient Technology: Currently there are more than 300,000 SWH units installed across the United States (excluding swimming pool applications) and because these systems have been proven efficient and reliable, the number of installations continues to grow by the thousands every year.
- Improved Environment: Reduced demand for fossil fuels will improve the environment by reducing air and water pollution as well as the heat-trapping gases that cause global warming. And though they cost a little bit more up front to install, a SWH system will save consumers money in the long run as the fuel source (the sun's energy) will always be free.
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