Solar Thermal

Solar Thermal systems absorb energy from the sun in a Glycol fluid solution which runs through Solar Thermal Panels.

The heated Glycol solution flows from the panels to a Solar Pump Station and then through a coil within the Hot Water Cylinder. This transfers the heat to the domestic hot water for use within the property. The cooled Glycol solution then flows back up to the Panel to collect more solar energy. This continues until all the water within the cylinder has reached the required temperature.

Panels are normally fitted to the roof of a property, but can also be fitted on frames on the ground. When fitted on roofs they can be either ‘In-Roof’ much like a velux window, or ‘On Roof’ fitted slightly above the tiles on brackets.

For times when additional heat is required a second heating coil within the cylinder runs from the Boiler and heats up some of the tank to ensure hot water is always available.

The RHI stands for the Renewable Heat Incentive. This is similar to the presently running Feed-In-Tariff Scheme which is for renewable electrical production. The RHI however will make Tariff payments to the owners of Renewable Heat systems such as Solar Thermal.

The Feed-in-Tariff went live in the UK in Apr 2010 and is now running successfully on over 40 countries. However unlike the Feed In Tariff the UK Government are leading the way on a Tariff Scheme for Renewable Heat. The present Government are fully supporting and backing the RHI scheme which is now due for Phase One Launch in July 2011.

Unlike the Feed In Tariff scheme the RHI makes Tariff payments through Government funding rather than the Energy Companies and pays out a price per kWh of energy used from the Renewable Heat system.

These payments will greatly increase the payback and return on an investment in Solar Thermal on top of the savings made to existing fuel bills.

This Scheme along with rising fossil fuel prices make an investment in Solar Thermal not only a Green Carbon Reducing activity, but also a viable and profitable financial investment.

Any business or private individual will be eligible to receive tariff payments through the Renewable Heat Incentive.

However Phase One of the scheme which is due for launch in July 2011 will be for Non-Domestic properties only. Domestic properties will be included on the scheme in 2012. Although once the scheme is live any installation, installed and commissioned by an MCS approved company after 15th July 2009 will be included. Tariff payments will then be paid from the point of launch of the scheme, but are not retrospective.

Eveco provides a service to make all arrangements to set up the RHI scheme for the benefit of our clients. We closely monitor the updates on this scheme and will contact all previous Eveco installations as soon as clients become eligible to receive payments.

MCS stands for Microgeneration Certification Scheme. This Scheme approves Products and Installers within the Microgeneration Industry.

To Claim the RHI Tariff Solar Thermal Systems must be MCS approved products and installed by MCS approved companies.

Companies such as Eveco who are accredited under this scheme are inspected to ensure they operate to a professional level and offer clients a quality product and service. Installers must also abide by the consumer codes set out by organisations such as the Renewable Energy Association (REA).

If you are considering the installation of a Solar Thermal system, you must make sure that the product and the installers are MCS approved. If either is not you will not qualify for the RHI payments and cannot backdate the accreditation of an installation.

Find Eveco on the official MCS site:

www.microgenerationcertification.org

A Solar Thermal System will produce around 60-70% of a homes hot water requirements throughout the year. This will obviously vary, with up to 90% in summer and as low as 30% in the winter.

However on average 60-70% of your hot water fuel bills will be eliminated by the free Solar Energy gained from this system.

You'll need a sunny spot to put the panels.

Solar Thermal panels can be fitted on almost all roofs, either on raised rails or with in-roof kits similar to velux windows. Alternatively they can be fitted on walls, flat roofs or on frames. Eveco will ensure building structures are capable of taking the load, but this is only likely to cause an issue on poor building structures or with very large systems.

If you don’t already have one you will also need to fit a twin coil cylinder. This will be slightly larger than the existing cylinder so you will need the room for this. Some types of hot water system such as combi boilers may not be suitable or require further alterations to suit a Solar Thermal system.

If you are unsure if you property would suit a Solar Thermal system please contact us to discuss and we can arrange a free of charge feasibility survey.

To encourage the installation of Solar Thermal special planning concessions have been granted meaning that Planning is not required in most situations.

In England, changes to permitted development rights for domestic renewable technologies introduced on 6th April 2008 have lifted the requirements for planning permission for most microgeneration technologies.

The General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) grants rights to carry out certain limited forms of development, without the need to apply for planning permission.

In brief the only time when planning approval will be required would be as follows:-

Roof Mounted:

Permitted unless;

• panels when installed protrude more then 200mm.
• they protrude above the highest point of the roof. (excluding Chimneys)
• they would be placed on the principal elevation facing onto or visible from the highway in buildings in Conservation Areas and World Heritage Sites.

Stand Along, e.g. Field or Ground Mounted:

Permitted unless:

• more than 4 metres in height
• installed less than 5 metres away from any boundary
• above a maximum area of array of 9m²
• situated within any part of the curtilage of the dwelling house or would be visible from the highway in Conservations Areas and World Heritage Sites.

If in rare instances planning is required, Planning Authorities are under pressure to approve schemes and in most instances this should be a formality.

Eveco can provide all help and advice on planning issues relating to your property and proposed development.

Eveco consistently monitor the cost of our Solar Thermal installations to ensure we offer our clients the very best value for money in terms of product, installation and after sales care.

A normal size system is likely to cost between £3,000- £5,000.

Yes. Solar Thermal Heating for swimming pools are very beneficial.

Heating requirements for swimming pools can be very high and hence replacing the fuel source with free Solar Energy will produce large savings. As fossil fuel prices continue to rise, this is only going to increase the savings.

Solar Thermal is most effective in the summer months when outdoors pools are used, but will also provide plenty of free energy for indoor pools during the winter months.

As long as the space for panels is available Solar Thermal can be fitted in line to an existing pool heating system making most installations quite straight forward.

A Solar Thermal Pool heating system can also be linked into the Domestic Hot water of a property and produce 60-70% of the annual requirements.

Solar Thermal Systems linked only to a Domestic hot water tank only have a 200-300ltrs of water to heat in the cylinder. Once this is up to temperature no further energy can be gained from the Sun until some of the hot water is used. However with a swimming pool you have a large body of water to heat and if room permits can also include some buffer tanks to store excess heat when available, further increasing the gains.

Can we include a picture a swimming pool for this bit.

Select a professional, experienced and well established company to provide you with a feasibility survey.

To arrange a no obligation, free of charge site feasibility survey please contact us.

Eveco will provide you with all the information you require to make an informed decision on the suitability of Solar Thermal to you and your property.