FAQS regarding solar heating

Q. What is sustainable energy?

A. Sustainable energy is best thought of as energy which can be replenished within a human lifetime and which causes no long-term damage to the environment. Solar energy, wind energy and geothermal energy, amongst others, are all self- sustaining. They all have sources that cannot be depleted. Extended use of these energy sources aids the conservation of other non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels.

Q. How does Solar technology work?

A. The idea behind technologies which use solar energy is to harness the freely available rays
from the sun in a useful form.The technology used for solar water heating is simple and effective. The basic principle uses an absorber plate which is heated by the sun's rays. The heat is collected in a transfer liquid which is in turn used in a heat exchanger to heat water.

Q. Do I need a particular type of roof for Solar installation?

A. In the UK the best orientation for Solar panels is facing due south and tilted at between 30 and 45 degrees from the horizontal. The gains available will reduce as the orientation moves away from due south. A variety of brackets and frames are available for Solar systems to suit different roof types (pitched and flat) and different types of roof tiles.

Q. What if there is no Sun or it is a cloudy day?

A. There is a widely held opinion that the UK does not have enough 'sun' to make solar systems
worthwhile. In fact parts of the UK have enough annual solar radiation levels equal to 60% of those experienced at the equator. The DTI commissioned a two year monitoring programme of four domestic hot water solar systems located at Troon, Tewksbury, Luton and Croydon.
The results showed that these systems provided an average of approximately 70% of the annual
hot water requirements at the four locations. All four systems worked in winter as well as summer with 16-18% of hot water needs being met in January and December and almost 100% of hot water needs being met in both July and August.

Q. Do I still need a boiler?

A. Solar heating on a normal domestic scale in the UK will provide around 50%-70% of the annual household hot water requirements. Although the system may provide most of the hot water required in summer, the winter results, due to the lower intensity of the sun and the shorter daylight hours, will be reduced. As such the property will need a boiler (or suitable alternative) to make up the difference in domestic hot water requirement and for the central heating of the house.

Q. How much will a Solar hot water system cost me?

A. The cost of the system and installation will depend on a number of factors. The main one being the type of hot water system currently used in the property. Do you have a vented or unvented system or use a combination (combi) boiler? To utilise Solar heating you need to have a Solar compatible hot water cylinder installed. Unvented hot water cylinders are more expensive then vented systems. If you have a combi boiler supplying your hot water then it will need to be capable of accepting warmed water from the Solar array. Another factor will be the height of the property or indeed where the Solar collectors will be located. And of course we need to consider how many people the system will cater for.

As a general guide for a system supplying four people installed in a two storey house you should
budget for around £4000 - £5000. A full price will be quoted at the end of the site survey which will be valid for one month.

Q. Is there any Government funding available?

A. The Department of Trade and Industry has funded an initiative called the Low Carbon Building Programme. This replaced the ClearSkies programme from April 2006. This scheme entitles home owners and not-for-profit organisations to financial help with a Solar system when installed by an approved installer. Householders can apply for a grant of £400 regardless of system size after meeting certain requirements. Full details and an application form can be found at the Low Carbon Building Programme website.

Q. Will I have to pay VAT for installing Solar panels?

A. At the present time the installation of Solar heating systems attract a reduced rate, currently set at 5%. This covers the Solar collectors themselves, pumps, controllers and hot water cylinder.

Q. Will I need planning permission?

A. Unless the installation is on a listed building or in a conservation area, it is unlikely that planning permission will be necessary. However it is always a good idea to check with your local planning authority first. It is also possible that you may need approval under the building regulations, although unlikely as most solar installations do not involve structural changes. Again however it is best to check with your local council who administer the building regulations. The local water company should also be informed of any changes to domestic plumbing, including solar water heating installations. We as a company will help and advise where ever possible.

Q. I have decided to install Solar hot water heating. What happens next?

A. Excellent decision. You will be joining over 10,000 people that already have a Solar hot water system installed and enjoy the benefits of reduced energy bills as well having the knowledge that you are helping to reduce green house gases.

Domestic Solar water heating systems are essentially custom built taking into account the hot water requirements of the individual household and the characteristics of the property in which they are to be fitted. Therefore, in the first instance we need to visit the property and complete a site survey.

After the survey is completed we will send you a completed report with the exact price of your new Solar system. This price will be valid for one calendar month should you decide to go ahead with the installation, however you will be under no obligation to do so.

Q. What can a solar thermal system do?

A. Solar thermal system generally provides domestic hot water and supports space heating.

Q. What is the difference between solar thermal and photovoltaics?

A. Both solar thermal, as well as photovoltaics, are systems which utilise the energy from the sun. Solar thermal systems generate heat with the radiation of the sun. A photovoltaic system uses the solar radiation to generate electricity.

Q. Is there enough sunlight in the UK?

A. Generally YES! The Ritter CPC INOX evacuated tube collector is designed to collect solar energy even under diffused or weak daylight. And, thanks to the vacuum, the collector provides enough energy to heat domestic hot water or to support room heating even in extremely cold winter months.

Q. Is a solar thermal system economical?

A. The economic efficiency of solar systems is widely calculated by comparing the one-time investment in the solar thermal installation to savings made in the reduced consumption of other energy sources like oil or gas. Rising prices for oil and gas make solar heating more and more attractive from day to day.

Q. Can hail cause any damage to the collectors?

A. Hail resistance of the Ritter CPC INOX evacuated tube collector according to DIN / EN 12975-2 has been approved by TÜV Rheinland. To achieve this certification the collector has had iceballs of a 25mm diameter fired at it at a velocity of almost 83 km/h (about 50 miles/hour). No damage of the collector or the tubes was detected.

Q. What are the advantages of a solar thermal system?

A. Solar thermal systems provide not only your domestic hot water (DHW), but can also support space heating. if utilising a thermal store and underfloor heating. A solar thermal installation helps you save up to 50% - 70% of conventional fuel you need for the supply of DHW. If your solar system is also designed for space heating support, you can save up to another 20% of the energy needed for room heating.
Apart from the financial advantages, a solar thermal system helps to protect the environment due to reduced CO2 emissions. An average household of 4 people produces about 1.5 tons less CO2 if it runs a solar thermal system, equivalent to the emissions of a car travelling 6000 to 8000 km a year (3700 – 5000 miles). The reduction of other harmful gases like nitrogen oxides is comparable with the filtering by a 1000 sqm forest.

Q. What is the life expectancy of the Ritter collector?

A. The materials in the Ritter CPC INOX evacuated tube collectors are guaranteed by Ritter for 10 years and have a life expectancy of more than 20 years.

Q. What kind of maintenance does a solar thermal installation require?

A. A solar thermal system does not require a lot of maintenance. Ideally you should have the system checked once a year. The fluid in the system should be changed every 4-5 years .

Q. Can I cover my whole demand of DHW (Domestic Hot Water) with a solar thermal system?

A. The average percentage of annual household DHW requirements which can be met by solar energy is about 50%-70%. In summertime it is no problem to cover the whole hot water demand with a reasonably sized solar thermal system. If solar radiation is not sufficient, your DHW is pre-heated by the solar system and, if necessary, topped up by your central-heating boiler.

Q. Is my house suitable for a solar system?

A. The Ritter CPC INOX evacuated tube collector is designed to maximise the solar radiation available. The Ritter collectors work with diffused light as well as direct sunlight and because of their high vacuum insulation they will work in cold regions as well as in hot regions.

Q. Do the tubes have to be adjusted to the sun?

A. Due to the optical concept of the Ritter CPC circular mirror and a highly selective coated absorber tube it is not necessary to adjust the tubes to the sun. Even sunlight which does not hit the absorber directly is redirected by the circular silver mirror to the absorber tube.

Q. How can the collectors be mounted?

A. The evacuated tube collectors can be mounted directly on pitched as well as elevated on flat roofs. It is also possible to mount them on facades vertically.

Q. What kind of fluid runs through a solar thermal system?

A. In a solar thermal system a heat transfer liquid based on glycol (Tyfocor) is used