Solar Hot Water Vs Solar Panels

Up until 2005 solar hot water systems were the only readily available solar technology on the market.

Solar hot water vs solar panels. Heat storage is an efficient and more convenient method which makes the solar thermal panels more attractive for large scale production use. Solar thermal power is usually used for water heating. Solar thermal comes in handy when you want hot water as it is an ideal solution for water heating and space. Solar hot water panels have black copper pipes running through them filled with water.

Solar panels on the other hand utilise pv technology to capture sun rays and directly convert the sunlight into electricity. Solar water heating systems include storage tanks and solar collectors. While both feature rooftop panels a glance at the two will show their difference. Solar panels can be used to power an electrical water heating system and give your building an eco friendly low emission hot water supply.

They can be used in any climate and the fuel they use sunshine is free. Solar photovoltaic panels generally have silicon cells. That s for a flat plate thermosiphon tank on roof style system like the one in the first pic above. The panels on your roof are the collectors of sunlight thus heating up the liquid in the tubes which is then transported.

Hot water heat pumps powered by solar panels have even lower running costs. Instead of using this space for just hot water it could be used to install solar panels which can then provide power to all of your home appliances. Solar water heaters also called solar domestic hot water systems can be a cost effective way to generate hot water for your home. This prevents water from freezing or boiling inside the solar panel.

A solar hot water system will typically cut your water heating energy bills by 70 80. You can also use solar panels to provide a source of electricity for your building alongside gas or solar thermal collectors as a source of hot water. So if your roof space is limited and you re looking to maximise your solar production choosing a solar water heater makes a lot of sense. It is not practical to have one panel to do both jobs.

It s a simple technology. There are also drainback systems which drain water from inside the solar panel when the pump is switched off. Solar thermal hot water systems. Compared to solar power panels solar hot water technology uses collector panels that are much more efficient per square metre.

Use a solar hot water system to heat the water directly. Solar hot water systems use up valuable roof space.