With the high cost of energy these days many people are looking for ways to reduce their energy bills. Solar power systems are an option when considering this and a common use of this technology is solar water heating systems. These use solar collectors to heat the water for a property and can be a cost effective way of doing this.
Over the last few years solar power systems have become more popular as a means of providing energy for residential and commercial properties. While solar panels and Photovoltaic technology can be used to directly generate electricity, another common use of solar power is as a means of providing a commercial or residential property with hot water. Solar water heating systems typically use technology known as concentrating solar power (CSP) which focuses the rays of the sun to heat water. These systems typically use panels known as solar collectors which harness the energy of the sun and use it to heat water.
Solar collectors typically come in three categories. Low temperature collectors are manufactured in the form of a flat plate, which in reality is a shallow box, and these are most commonly used for heating the water in a swimming pool. Medium temperature collectors are also flat plates and these are most typically used to heat the water for residential or commercial properties. High temperature collector plates are typically used for industrial purposes to heat water for electricity production.
Installing solar water heating systems in your home can provide a few advantages. The cost of running it is less than using a traditional gas or electricity boiler system. Although there is a cost to install the system, this should be paid back in terms of the reduced energy bills and over time a water heating system which uses solar power should save you money. Using the system will reduce your reliance on electricity or gas supplied by a utility company and this is considered to have environmental benefits.
Solar water heating systems typically have a few stages to producing hot water. Firstly the rays of the sun are collected and converted to heat by the solar collector. The heat collected is then used to warm up circulating fluids which in turn heat up water in a storage tank. The hot water is then held in the storage tank until such time that it is needed. It is a simple but effective system which can provide most of the hot water needs of a home or business.
If you are considering installing solar water heating systems in your home there are a few manufacturers that produce these. These include companies such as ACR Solar International, Solar Direct, Solar Panels Plus and Alternate Energy Technologies. The cost will depend on the type and size of system chosen although the typical cost of installing a basic system generally lies in the range $1,000 to $3,500.
Using solar water heating systems in your home is an affordable way to meet the hot water needs of your property. It typically costs less than using traditional energy sources to heat water. With the environmental benefits it also provides, in terms of reducing the demand on traditional fuel sources, it is a good option to consider for your home or business.