Why choose thermal solar energy for hot water and heating?In July 09, the government’s advisory body ‘Fuel Poverty Advisory Group’ reported that average domestic fuel bills had increased by 125% over the past five years and that energy prices were likely to continue rise. This is because in the past the UK has enjoyed a vast supply of energy on tap from the North Sea, but now as supplies are running out, and our energy companies are mostly owned by overseas providers - who are required to stabilise their homeland energy charges - and yet increase profits, higher fuel bills are inevitable.

And price hikes have certainly been the norm in recent years when according to the FPAG the average duel energy bill has risen from £572 a year to £1,287 a year Jan 03-Sept 08. All of which explains why so many consumers are now looking to thermal solar technologies to help them to exercise some control over their future energy bills.

Domestic hot water and heating requirements account for around 50% of our total household energy consumption, which over a year, can add up to a considerable amount of energy and cost. Likewise, the cost of central heating can only increase as fossil fuels decline, pushing up the cost of heating your home. Add to this, our concerns about global warming, CO₂ emissions and the effects of burning fossil fuels, and suddenly solar powered energy makes real economic and environmental sense.

Solar power, nature’s free energy supply that can help boost the value of your property and allow you to reduce your family’s carbon footprint.

At HBS Solarwarm, we install only the most advanced solar panels. These panels can heat up to 60% of your domestic hot water requirements and can contribute towards your heating. Our solar hot water heating systems are also one of the most cost effective ways make a positive contribution towards maintaining the environment. In fact, the amount of pollution reduced by installing a domestic solar hot water heating system is equivalent to taking one car off the road (i.e. about 1500m3 CO₂ per annum).

Of course, giving exact details on the energy savings you can expect is difficult because so much depends on the orientation of your roof, how many people live in your house and, crucially, the cost of the fuel you are replacing. But look at it this way, from the moment we install your solar system you can begin cutting your family’s energy bills and CO₂ emissions - and you may even increase the value of your property - as reported by The Guardian newspaper in 2008 -‘evidence suggests that solar power can add nearly 9% to a property’s value’.

So all in all, the benefits of using solar energy to heat your hot water and contribute to your heating are clear:-

• You have a constant free supply of energy which leaves you less open to fuel increases.
• You can help reduce your family’s carbon footprint (the amount of carbon being used on an annual basis.
• You can increase the value of your property.

You won’t get anything like that from your current energy supplier!

But whilst the benefits are obvious, so much depends on the type of system you install, and the solar panels used. Here’s how HBS Solarwarm solar panel systems compare to other solar technologies.

About HBS Solarwarm Solar Panels.

Solar heating systems are generally based on panels (or collectors) that convert sunlight to heat. HBS Solarwarm panels, like all solar panels, work best on south facing roofs but if a south facing roof is not available, a good solar collection can be achieved by an ‘east west split’. An ‘east west split’ involves installing solar panels on both east and west facing roofs, and switching the heat collection (via a in-built automatic solar controller) from one set of panels to the other as the sun makes its daily transition across the sky. An ‘east west split’ installation works on exactly the same principles as a south facing installation, but simply splits the distribution of the panels between east and west to make maximum use of the available sunlight across the day.

More about HBS Solarwarm Solar Panel Technology

Solar powered hot water and a contribution to central heating!

Solar panels are usually used to heat domestic hot water, but some systems like the HBS Solarwarm system, can also contribute to your central heating (including under floor heating in new build properties or in new extensions). Nowadays, there are broadly two types of solar heating technologies available; the conventional flat plate collector and the more efficient evacuated (or vacuum) tube collectors.

Why we use evacuated tube solar heating panels.

HBS Solarwarm almost exclusively installs evacuated tube solar heating panels. This is because they are significantly more efficient than the conventional flat plate type collectors and will perform considerably better on the short winter days in December, or in cloudy conditions. The higher efficiency of evacuated solar tubes also makes them much more suited to the vagaries of UK weather. As a bonus, this efficiency also means that fewer panels are required and less roof is covered. A reduction in the number of solar panels used in an installation results in a reduction in the amount of fluid contained in the solar heating system which enables a quicker response to solar radiation.

Evacuated tubes also offer the best possible insulation for a solar collector. The vacuum safeguards the collector from moisture, condensation and pollutants and results in improved durability as well as year-round performance.

Why HBS Solarwarm fits evacuated tube solar panels over flat plate solar panels.

1. Higher efficiency when there is less light (e.g. winter and cloudy days)
2. Achieves high temperatures
3. Lightweight and easy to install
4. Modern elegant design for improved aesthetics
5. Covers less roof area - less intrusive
6. Individual tubes can be replaced for easy repair in case of accidental damage
7. Long life span offers an improved return on investment and higher efficiency reduces pay-back period.

How HBS Solarwarm evacuated tube solar panels work.

As easy as 1, 2, 3, just one of our solar panels can provide around 100 litres of free hot water per day! Here’s how our systems work in the home:-

1. Our new generation evacuated tube solar panels collect and absorb the free solar energy generated by the sun; the absorbed light is converted into heat which is conducted into a heat absorbent fluid flowing inside the panel.
2. The hot fluid from the solar panel is then circulated by a pump to a copper coil heat exchanger inside a solar thermal store or cylinder. This process heats the water inside the cylinder.
3. When hot water is required, the heated water flows from the cylinder to wherever it is needed in the home – including your central heating system.

How HBS Solarwarm solar cylinders work.

Whatever the type of solar panel chosen, the key to a successful system lies with the hot water cylinder and its control system. This is because all the inputs - and the outputs - flow through the cylinder. At HBS Solarwarm, we aim to make maximum use of the solar energy we collect via the solar panels we fit. This strategy leads us to specify new technology cylinders like the Gledhill Torrent.

These cylinders almost uniquely, have the ability to provide both hot water for domestic use but also, importantly, can contribute towards your central heating needs.

This contribution toward heating your home not only reduces your energy consumption and saves you money but obviously helps to reduce the pay-back period on your solar technology investment. And you’ll also be pleased to learn that there is usually no need to change your existing boiler because our range of cylinder models work equally well with gas, electricity or oil fired boilers.

In fact, when you install an HBS Solarwarm cylinder you may actually extend the life of your boiler because the water heated by solar power reduces the amount of work left for the boiler to do to reach the water temperatures and demand required for the supply of your hot water and heating system. So not only do you save on boiler wear an tear, but you also save on fuel, energy bills, and of course on CO₂ emissions - all at the same time.

Flow rates with these cylinders are usually really good too, producing up to 25 litres per minute which means that you can look forward enjoying a ‘power shower’ or filling your bath in just 3-4 minutes.

It’s always safety first at HBS Solarwarm.

At HBS Solarwarm, safety is paramount and attention to safety is a key requirement for maintaining our Microgeneration Certification. Therefore, along with our standard manufacturer’s safety mechanisms we also build our own additional safety features into our installations. These are extra safety features that make doubly sure that we protect our customers from for example, excessive pressure build up in the hot water system, or delivery of scalding hot water to taps.

That said, all our cylinder manufacturers are chosen with both performance and safety in mind, and all the cylinders we use have built in safety mechanisms. And because HBS Solarwarm offers a range of cylinder models, we can be sure to fit the right model for your family needs and your property.

HBS Solarwarm cylinders – other key features.

Protection against limescale build up. HBS Solarwarm operates in the South of England where many areas suffer from ‘hard water’ which over time can cause limescale build up in the hot water cylinder. To combat this potential risk to the system, and in line with the 2006 Domestic Heating and Compliance Guide, we automatically fit a water treatment device to our cylinders where hardness in the water is detected above 200ppm.

In addition, unlike many solar technology suppliers, and because we are professionals in heating and ventilation engineering, our installers always offer to flush and evacuate all the existing build up of debris and limescale in your heating and hot water system before beginning work on your new solar powered heating and hot water system. In this way, we ensure that you get the optimum output from your system and the best return on your investment in solar technology.

Long life – built in. HBS Solarwarm usually specify heating and hot water cylinders that are manufactured from copper sheet to BSEN standards. Copper, unlike the stainless steel of lesser cylinders, creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria such as legionella, which can be a cause for concern in domestic or commercial hot water cylinders and gives rise to the possibility of Legionnaires’ disease. A copper manufactured cylinder also has the added benefit of reducing the likelihood of limescale build up.

Inside HBS Solarwarm cylinders, our computer designed heat exchangers are produced from finned tube and incorporate patented expansion chambers which are sealed for life. These units are tested hydraulically and pneumatically both during and after manufacture.

Thermally advanced. Most people do not appreciate that uncased foam insulated cylinders can lose up to 40% of their insulation value within weeks of manufacture and can emit dangerous toxic smoke if involved in a fire. Our HBS Solarwarm heating and hot water cylinders therefore use non-toxic, non-combustible Rockwool insulation which yields continuous high performance during the life of the unit with heat loss is in line with the very latest industry standards.

To find out more about HBS Solarwarm technologies click here