Solar Heating Systems

The sun is by far the most abundant source of energy available on earth. 

Energy arriving at the earth's surface by way of solar radiation over a period of forty minutes is the equivalent of the power used by the entire population of the earth in one year.

Solar Water heating utilises the energy of the sun, converting this into hot water.

Statistics show that there is sufficient solar heating in the UK and Ireland alone to provide approximately half of a families hot water requirements over the course of a year.

Solar energy is in its greatest supply in the summer months, when almost all of the hot water can be provide by the Zen Solar hot water system. However even during the winter months a significant contribution can be made form the hot water system. Back up hot water heating is provided by a conventional heating system.

Benefits of Solar

  • The domestic sector accounts for thirty percent of energy use in the UK and Ireland of which twenty five percent is used for hot water.

  • Solar hot water systems contribute significant savings to the costs of heating water via conventional fuel.

  • It provides almost all hot water requirements during the summer months and about fifty percent all year round.

  • It reduces the average home reliance on fossil fuels.

  • It reduces fuel bills.

  • The increasing fuel costs will make Solar hot water heating systems even more cost effective.

  • The reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from installing one solar heater is equivalent to removing one car from the road.

How does a Solar Heating System work.

  • A typical system consists of a solar collector a pump and a storage water cylinder.

  • The solar collectors are fitted on or in the roof  and connected to an existing or new hot water system.

  • The solar collectors absorb heat from the sun and transfer this heat via a heat exchange coil to the hot water cylinder which provides hot water to the taps.

  • The solar system works automatically with an approved conventional system to provide hot water at the desired temperature whenever required.

Types of Solar Collectors

Flat Plate Collectors. These collectors sometimes as a solar panel is the term used to describe a device that incorporates an essential planar (flat) surface to absorb radiation from the Sun. It will usually be supplied as a standard module with surface area between 1 and 4 square metres.

Evacuated Tube Collectors. This collector consists of a relatively narrow strip of copper,60-100mm with a selective black coating bonded to a single copper tube. At the heart of both the flat panel and the evacuated tube is the absorber. The absorber essentially consists of a flat surface, on which the solar radiation falls with tubes or channels either attached to it or formed in it, in which the heat fluid is circulated, collecting the heat from the surface.