Solar panels and tubes

Solar panels are a popular way to invest in your home and your energy future. Usually installed on the roof, they are used to heat water and generate power thus reducing your carbon footprint and dependence on traditional energy.

Solar heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, which collect heat and energy from the sun's rays and use a fluid system and pump (powered using electricity) to move the heat to its point of usage.

The efficiency of a solar heating system depends on where you live and its size - which will be determined by what you need from the system.

Solar panels are at their most efficient when the sun is shining but will even collect energy on cloudy days. In the UK, they should be able to provide enough domestic hot water from April to October. By combining solar water heating with the back-up heat from a wood stove chimney to heat water you can enable a hot water system to work all year round without using fossil fuels or electricity.

There are two main forms of solar panels in existence today

1. Solar electricity panels which generate electricity for the homes

2. Solar hot water panels to heat domestic water, either fully or it can also be used to pre-heat domestic water or pool water.

A good quality system should last at least 25 years.

Costs for installing a system vary depending on orientation and location of the house, whether you need it to supply hot water only or heating as well, how many people the system requires to provide for and whether the water tank needs to be replaced (usually required if you have a combi boiler).

Expect to pay anything between £3,000 and £10,000 to have a system fitted that will supply hot water in the summer and pre heat water in the winter. DIYers can make considerable savings by buying components and putting their own system together.

Evacuated Solar Tubes

Solar Energy evacuated tubes are amongst the most efficient solar collectors available, offering efficiencies of over 90%.

They act like thermos flasks, recovering heat lost by other systems.

The advantage of evacuated solar tubes over solar panels is that they will work even during the coldest winter months. The vacuum prevents the heat tube from being cooled much by the ambient temperature and the winter sun can easily heat water to 50+ degrees, even in the depths of winter

Even if it is very cloudy and very cold, enough sunlight gets through to keep the tubes well above freezing and so they will be still be pre-heating the water.

Expect to pay more for an evacuated solar tube system than the Flat Plate Solar Collectors. Again a little DIY knowledge can save you £££s.


Solar panels - are they worth installing in your home?
31st August 2009

Solar panels are a popular way to invest in your home and your energy future - reducing your carbon footprint and dependence on traditional energy. But what are the payback times and are they worth installing in your home? more

Once only of interest to a small minority, green is the new black as far as self-building is concerned.

With the effects of global warming becoming increasingly apparent, more and more people are seeking greener ways to provide the energy needed to run a home.

Whether it's solar panels, heat pumps, high specification glazing or eco-friendly wool insulation in the loft space, there is little doubt that it is self-builders who are setting the standards for a greener future for the building industry and the way we live our lives.

Underfloor heating for example, has been available for years but, by and large, the self build market has been the industry's bread and butter - with large scale property developers still opting for standard, less efficient radiators.

But it's not all about saving the planet. Incorporating green ideas into a home can lead to reduced running costs and save you money in the medium to long term too. And when you come to sell your home in the future, you can guarantee that the greener it is the more attractive it will be to prospective buyers.

There is a greater sense of purpose from the government to promote green alternatives too with a stick and carrot approach in place.

Building regulations now demand far better energy efficiency while government grants are available for loft insulation right through to solar panels, heat pumps, wind turbines and other microgeneration technologies.

Self-builders are leading the way as far as greener homes are concerned and greenselfbuild.co.uk will be with you every step of the way towards a greener future for you, your family and the wider community.