Solar Hot Water

What is it?

Put simply solar hot water is the technology used to enable the sun to heat your water. Water is circulated around solar panels usually fitted to your roof; this water is then stored in a hot water cylinder and drawn as and when required. A secondary heating method is still required to top up your hot water during the winter months (log burning stove, immersion heater, wind turbine or conventional boiler).

Why should I have it?

If you want to reduce your carbon footprint and your energy bills, become more self-sufficient in energy, and earn some extra income then generating your own solar hot water is a good place to start. The government is introducing the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) later in 2012 to make it worth your while to produce your own renewable heat; solar hot water is a qualifying technology.

In a nutshell, you will earn a fixed income for every kilowatt-hour of heat you produce. This is likely to be used in your own property, but if you are lucky enough to be connected to a heat network you could get an additional payment for 'exporting' surplus heat.

Allbrite supply and install

We are market leaders for solar water heating solutions from single dwelling installations to commercial multi point water heating. Allbrite are able to design and install systems of all sizes for all applications. We are experienced installers and have literally travelled the world to source the most efficient and cost effective solar hot water solutions.

We are also MCS accredited installers which is a government backed scheme which ensures that all installations carried out are to the highest standard which in turn means you as the customer will be eligible for the government backed "Renewable Heat Incentive".

We offer a very competitive nationwide installation service. We are able to survey properties with a home visit or through satellite technology which means we can offer a more convenient service.

Solar Heated swimming pools is probably one of the best ways to utilise this solar hot water to its full potential. Swimming pools are very expensive to heat using conventional methods, however, with solar pool heating you can slash your pool heating bills by more than half.

Allbrite have two solar hot water offerings; Evacuated Tube Solar Hot Water and Flat Plate Solar Panels. Click either link to find out more.

Russell’s Recommendation

Your Solar Hot Water can provide for all your hot water needs. I would recommend that you go with either a thermal store system which is linked to log burning stove / range or an un-vented system which is mains pressure and therefore no need for electric showers.

I am excited that as authorised agents for Esse we are able to offer the first RHI qualifying log burning stove.

It is also worth mentioning that you make sure your solar panels & cylinder are compatible with one another.