Solar
With the emphasis on energy efficiency and the need for householders to reduce harmful carbon emissions from their heating systems Ilex are now offering complete Solar Hot Water Heating installations from renowned manufacturer Worcester Bosch which are not only kinder to the environment but also dramatically reduce customers fuel bills.
A typical solar installation incorporates four main components:
Panels (collectors) – These absorb the UV energy from the sun and are typically mounted on a pitched roof but can also be mounted to frames on a flat roof or the ground.
Actual Ilex panel installation, Worlebury.
Pump station (below)– This is the “engine” of the system which moves the water around the solar circuit pumping hot water from the collector into the water storage cylinder in the house.
Solar controller (below) – This is the user control displaying the relevant temperatures at the collectors and in the cylinder. It allows the user to set the required temperature in the cylinder.
Storage cylinder (below)– This is where the heated solar water gives it’s heat up to the domestic water via an indirect coil in the cylinder. The cylinder has an additional indirect coil which the gas or oil boiler is connected to providing an additional heat source when required.
Application of Worcester Greenskies solar panels
Worcester offers a range of options for a solar water heating solution
as an addition to an existing or replacement boiler. The solar panels
can also be used for other water heating requirements such as heating of
swimming pools.
The panels can be mounted directly onto sloping roofs with a variety of
fixings for different roof coverings or onto a frame for flat roofs. In
addition, in-roof flashings and wall mounting brackets are available.
The solar panels should be installed in a southerly direction at an
angle of between 30 and 45 degrees. Where this is not possible the
installation should move towards a westerly facing direction.
East and North facing directions should be avoided.
Panel performance
Each Worcester Greenskies collector has a net surface area of 2.23 sq.m.
The panels are covered with solar glass which helps the selective
coating on the copper collector absorb 95% of the available energy. The
panel contains 55mm of mineral wool which contributes to the low 12%
emission rating (5% for the FKT panels).
A common question about solar in the UK focuses on whether there is
enough sunshine available to make solar worthwhile. The usual idea of
British weather is of cloudy skies and intermittent sunshine.
Worcester’s solar panels have been developed with this typical weather
in mind and make the most of both direct and diffused sunlight to give a
useful annual contribution wherever you are in the UK.
Solar Radiation in the British Isles
Contrary to popular belief the amount of solar radiation received by the
UK is enough for solar water heating to be a viable supplement to
existing domestic water heating. Perhaps surprisingly the UK receives
65% of the amount of solar radiation that is received by the south of
Spain. The radiation in the UK is made up of direct radiation on sunny
days, which accounts for around 40%, and diffused radiation on cloudy
days, accounting for 60% of the total.
Summer will provide the largest amount of radiation over the year but a
useful contribution will be provided by other seasons.
As an indication, a well sized typical installation will provide the following proportion of the household domestic hot water requirement
This translates to over half of the typical annual domestic hot water requirement.