Whilst solar thermal panels should provide 90% of your hot water from April/May to September/October, and make a 30% contribution in the remainder of the year it is not right for everyone.

There are a few key questions to consider…

Roof Space

Do you have a South, East or West facing wall or roof?

Do you have approximately 4 – 5 square meters of roof or wall space?

The panels don’t have to be mounted on a roof: they can be fixed to a frame on a flat roof or hanging from a wall.

Cylinder Space

Do you have space for a larger, or an extra, hot water cylinder?

If a dedicated twin coil solar cylinder is not already installed then you will usually need to replace your existing cylinder, or have a dedicated second cylinder with a solar heating coil.

 

Your Existing Boiler

Is your existing boiler suitable to work with solar water heating?

Most conventional boiler and hot water cylinder systems are compatible with solar water heating however if your boiler is a combination boiler (combi) and you don’t currently have a hot water tank, a solar hot water system may not be compatible.

How much hot water will I get?

Solar thermal panels should provide 90% of your hot water from April/May to September/October, and make a 30% contribution in the remainder of the year. Annually that works out to be 60% – 80% of your hot water.

Energy Production

Planning Permission

In England, you do not require Planning Permission for home solar water heating systems, but it is always advisable to check with your local planning officer to confirm if any part of your home is listed, or in a conservation area, or World Heritage Site.

Planning Permission