Solar hot water

1. Flat plate or evacuated tube?

There are two basic types of solar hot water systems: flat plate collectors and evacuated tube systems. The flat plate collectors are cheap and effective, but they work only when the sun is overhead, so they are not as effective in winter.

Evacuated tubes are tubes with a second layer of glass. There is a vacuum  between the inner and outer tubes, providing insulation. These systems can collect solar radiation even when the sun is at a low angle in winter, and will heat up in very cold weather.

It’s a cost-benefit decision for you – do you want to pay the extra for a system that works better in winter? Both systems have a gas booster so you will always have hot water.

 

 

2. Electric booster or gas booster?

Source: ORER

An electric boosted solar hot water system  produces less greenhouse gas than an ordinary  electric hot water system, but far more than a gas-boosted system. It’s fine for remote areas with no access to a gas pipeline, but in other cases, forget it.

In fact, electric-boosted solar produces more greenhouse gas than a normal gas hot water system (with no solar component). Go for gas.

 

3. Gas storage or instantaneous gas?

Instantaneous gas is the most efficient. It saves energy and produces the least greenhouse gas. However it may require new copper piping, so the work may be expensive. That is why you will need an individualised quote. Gas storage is still pretty efficient.

 

4. Rebates

 

Rebates for solar hot water are complicated: there are different State and Federal ones. The amount varies depending on what type of system you currently have. If you are interested in solar hot water, click in the box under “registrations” and we will arrange a quote for you.

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