Is solar heating cost effective?

[webmaster]

'Solar' can be broken into several basic categories. The first of these is passive solar which involves orientating the house so that more of the glazing is on the south so making the most of free solar gains. It also involves making sure that the main living rooms and bedrooms are on the south side and rooms such as utility room, hall and stairs, and smaller bedrooms are on the north side.

The second category is solar heated hot water, termed 'active solar'. This used to have very long payback periods although system prices have come down over the years. As solar heat is intermittent it is important to have a secondary source e.g. a boiler and also a fairly large storage capacity. If you are planning a swimming pool then this is one application where solar heating could be cost effective, as heat supply tends to match heat demand.

The third type of solar is photovoltaic panels, which are placed on a south facing roof and convert sunlight directly into electricity. Although maximum supply generally occurs at periods of minimum demand it is possible to sell the electricity to the grid and then buy it back when you need it. Although these systems currently have long payback periods it is a technology that is developing very quickly.

Passive solar is free and is definitely worth while. The later two types may be worthwhile in some situations but only after you have installed all of the more conventional measures, which are more cost effective.


Regards, Webmaster
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Regards, Webmaster