Solar Water Heating
Solar energy is a great way to heat your water so that you don’t have to worry about burning fossil fuels.
If you have ever looked at your heating bill recently you might have been amazed how expensive it’s getting. The cost of living is going up every year, so any little bit of help to reduce your energy bills really does count.
You might be able to use solar power to generate some of the hot water in your home, or perhaps all of it. It is bound to save you money.
There are actually a few different ways that you can harness the power of the sun to heat your water. It is possible to use solar boilers without other forms of heating, however they are normally used with gas or electric heaters.
These systems allow for the best flexibility, if the water is hot enough then it can be used direct from the solar heater, however if it’s not hot enough then it can be used as preheated water which is then heated by the conventional heater. Preheated water does not require as much energy to heat, and so will also result in savings on your bill.
It’s possible to use solar boilers wherever you live in the world, however they are most usable when it is not very cold during the winter. In colder climates another type of system is suitable, an indirect system would be suitable. This is where another fluid which does not freeze passes through the solar panel, which then in turn heats up the water. Warmer climates can use direct solutions where the water itself passes through the solar panels.
There are two main types of solar water heaters, active and passive systems. Passive systems work by relying gravity and the flow of water. These are very simple systems and can be built by yourself using very simple components. These are long lasting and durable systems which will offer great savings on your energy bill.
An active system uses electrical pumps to move the water through the system. The pumps will either be powered by solar power, or they will be connected to your mains power supply. When using a passive and active systems you need a storage tank which is well insulated to store all of the hot water.
During the summer when there is a lot of direct sunlight it should be possible to use these solar heaters without needing to heat the water again. If the weather is colder then you can use your solar heater as a preheater which is then heated by another form of heater. The preheated water does not require as much energy to be heated to the desired temperature, which should result in some great savings on your bill.
There are so many different things that you can do with these systems if you have the imagination. You can install these hot water solar systems in a number of different ways.
Just think that such a system will create a temperature difference, which means you could use a Stirling engine. A Stirling engine runs on temperature differences and will make it possible to generate electricity. Perhaps this would be a way to generate electricity and heat your water at the same time.