Hot water - from the sun!

Another leaflet came through my door the other day. It was from a company called Solartwin. It's an advert for a solar hot water energy system. It works by pumping water into solar panels where it gets heated by the sun. The water makes its way to your hot water tank. On a good day the water may be heated to 50-60^oC. You can top up the heat if required using your normal energy source, be it electric or gas.

The Solartwin differs from other sytems in that it directly heats the water you use, rather than heat up a chemical anti-freeze. It also has a photovoltaic cell that powers the pump that moves the water around, making it a "zero-carbon" solution. You can get more information from the website.

If you've installed one of these systems, please let us know of your experiences and whether it really has cut your hot water costs.

If you're interested in a solar water heating system, you may want to visit this site from the Kent Energy Centre, or this site from the Sutton Environment Network.

Unfortunately, I live in a rented flat at the moment and don't have a roof of my own so I can't benefit from one of these systems.

caldini