Engineers installing solar thermal evacuated tube array on the roof of a domestic house to provide renewable heat and hot water
Installing a solar thermal system means a household can use the power of the sun to provide most of its hot water, reducing its dependence on gas or oil. Solar thermal systems use heat energy from the sun to increase the temperature of the liquid within them. This liquid is then pumped through a coil heat exchanger in a water tank, transferring the collected heat to the water in the tank – so you can use it for washing up, bathing etc Solar thermal systems only require daylight to operate and a properly installed system works all year round - even when it's cloudy. In fact, the system could provide you with hot water for approx 70-80% of the year, although most people have to top up their solar-heated water with another fuel source during the winter months. To maximise the performance from the system it should be placed on a south facing surface (roofs usually) with a 45 degree tilt towards the sun in an unshaded location. A south-east or south-west facing roof will still deliver a good yield of energy. The Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will enable Solar Thermal and other renewable heat technologies to claim payments for the heat that they are generating from October 2012.
Size: 5120px × 3426px
Location: east sussex
Photo credit: © Nick Hanna / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: Yes
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