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It used to be, the only solar water heating used was simple coils placed onto a garage to heat a swimming pool. These systems are large, not esthetically pleasing, prone to breakdowns; and cheap. Solar energy is free, clean and available year-round and can be harnessed with current technology.
Solar water heating systems collect the suns free energy and put it towards domestic water heating (a much larger source than pool heating) by harnessing the energy from the sun to preheat the water supply in a household. Today, domestic water heating accounts for an average 25% of a homeowner’s heating bill, also accounting for around 2 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per household. Solar thermal water systems cut a buildings water heating demands, reducing both utility bills and greenhouse gases.
How it works
Solar Collectors (glazed or unglazed panels or rows of evacuated tubes) are mounted on any style of roof, sloped wall or wall and are designed to look very discrete. Today’s solar thermal collectors are very efficient (up to 95%), reliable and self regulating to prevent overheating. They absorb the sun’s energy, and transfer it to a liquid (propylene glycol) which is circulated to a heat exchanger attached to the solar hot water storage tank in a home or business.
Inside the heat exchanger, glycol is circulated by a pump through the heat exchanger alongside the water supply, transfering its heat energy to the cold domestic water supply. The heated water remains in the tank ready for use. Supplemental heat, if needed, can be added to the water by the hot water tank’s own heating system.
The entire system is controlled and monitored by the thermal energy controller unit. This is a control pad display unit that is mounted in the living space of the home much like a thermostat unit for a furnace. The unit is hard wired to the heat exchanger, allowing system control and control of a second pump for use with a pool or space heating system. Displayed information can include quantities of water used, tank and solar panel temperatures, amount of fuel offset, dollars saved, GHG reductions etc.
Benefits
Solar Thermal Water Heating
What it isIt used to be, the only solar water heating used was simple coils placed onto a garage to heat a swimming pool. These systems are large, not esthetically pleasing, prone to breakdowns; and cheap. Solar energy is free, clean and available year-round and can be harnessed with current technology.
Solar water heating systems collect the suns free energy and put it towards domestic water heating (a much larger source than pool heating) by harnessing the energy from the sun to preheat the water supply in a household. Today, domestic water heating accounts for an average 25% of a homeowner’s heating bill, also accounting for around 2 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per household. Solar thermal water systems cut a buildings water heating demands, reducing both utility bills and greenhouse gases.
How it works
Solar Collectors (glazed or unglazed panels or rows of evacuated tubes) are mounted on any style of roof, sloped wall or wall and are designed to look very discrete. Today’s solar thermal collectors are very efficient (up to 95%), reliable and self regulating to prevent overheating. They absorb the sun’s energy, and transfer it to a liquid (propylene glycol) which is circulated to a heat exchanger attached to the solar hot water storage tank in a home or business.
Inside the heat exchanger, glycol is circulated by a pump through the heat exchanger alongside the water supply, transfering its heat energy to the cold domestic water supply. The heated water remains in the tank ready for use. Supplemental heat, if needed, can be added to the water by the hot water tank’s own heating system.
The entire system is controlled and monitored by the thermal energy controller unit. This is a control pad display unit that is mounted in the living space of the home much like a thermostat unit for a furnace. The unit is hard wired to the heat exchanger, allowing system control and control of a second pump for use with a pool or space heating system. Displayed information can include quantities of water used, tank and solar panel temperatures, amount of fuel offset, dollars saved, GHG reductions etc.
Benefits
- Solar thermal systems greatly reduces building or home energy consumption and thus reduces its environmental footprint
- Solar thermal systems are very efficient, reliable and automatically self regulate based on preset temperature parameters to avoid over/under heating
- Maintenance is minimal and requires no seasonal evacuation or disconnection for winter
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