Our guide to solar thermal systems
What are solar thermal systems?
Solar water heating systems, or solar thermal systems, use heat from the sun to warm water.
A conventional boiler or immersion heater can be used to make the water hotter or to provide hot water when solar energy is unavailable.
There are two types of solar water heating panels:
- Evacuated tubes – a bank of glass tubes mounted on the roof tiles.
- Flat plate collectors, which can be fixed on the roof tiles or integrated into the roof
The hot water can be used throughout your home exactly as you would use hot water provided by other methods.
How do solar thermal systems work?
Solar water heating systems use solar panels (not PV), called collectors, that are fitted to your roof. These collectors are typically filled with a mix of water and glycol (anti-freeze), which absorb heat from the sun and use it to heat up water stored in a hot water cylinder.
A well designed and installed solar thermal system can provide up to 80% of your annual hot water requirements (Subject to external factors such as location and orientation). A boiler or immersion heater is used as a backup to meet any shortfall.
What are the benefits of a solar thermal system?
Benefits of solar water heating:
- Government money available through the RHI scheme paid back over 7 years – currently set at 21.49p/Kwh
- Reduced energy bills
- Lower carbon footprint
Get in touch
We’re proud to be supporting housing associations move to carbon-free solutions to heat their homes. So far, we’ve retrofitted homes with air and ground-source heat pumps. We’ve installed Solar PV, EV car charging, CHP, solar thermal, battery storage and so much more.
If you’re looking for a reliable renewable energy installer – look no further. You can call us on 0161 543 4128 or email: information@thermatichomes.com
About Thermatic Homes
Thermatic Homes is a national M&E contractor based in Greater Manchester that provides a one-stop solution for housing associations, from mechanical and electrical services, to build services, renewable energy installations and training.
