Thermosiphon Solar Thermal System Layout
Thermal
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Fossil Fuels – The Real Cost
Would it surprise you to know that the price you pay for fossil fuels could be as little as 20% of their real cost? That's because they're often subsidised by the government. Cynics would say that this is to keep prices low and ensure that business keeps booming for the people who control the resources and, in many ways, history shows they're right.
Calculating Heating Load for Solar Thermal Systems
Compared to the calculations required to size a solar thermal hot water system, space heating is complicated. There are so many more variables to consider – building size, heat loss, insulation, air flow and everything else – so the best place to start is with the current heating load. From there, you can calculate how big your solar thermal installation needs to be, just like you would with a hot water system.
Compelling Reasons for Renewable Energy
Many people who consider installing renewable energy systems in their homes are put off by the relatively high investment. Why would you choose a solar thermal system that could cost thousands of dollars when you can buy an electric water heater for a couple hundred?
Do We Have Enough Fuel For The Future?
One of the most compelling arguments for widespread adoption of renewable energy systems is the frightening idea that the world is going to run out of fossil fuels. While this is not an immediate concern, there is a strong movement to switch entirely to renewable sources by the middle of the century.
Comparing the Cost of Renewable and Non-Renewable Water Heating
If you look at the cost of installing an electric heater and compare it to a solar thermal system, you may wonder why you would bother with the latter. A solar water heater can cost more than five times the price of an electric setup, though rebates and government schemes can reduce that by almost half. However, the initial installation costs don't take your annual savings into account... and that's where solar heaters come into their own.
Solar Thermal Investment
Different people like to look at the same investment in different ways. Some people like to consider the return on investment over the entire life of the system (or a part of it), which we look at in this article. Other people prefer to think about how it affects their monthly cash flow. We'll look at the cash flow approach here.
Evacuated Tube Collectors
The most obvious problem with flat plate collectors is the relatively large sheet of glass taking up one whole side of the construction – glass that can't be insulated without stopping the sunlight from heating the absorber plate. To solve this problem, evacuated tube collectors were invented.
Evacuated Tube Collector Parts
Much like flat plate collectors, evacuated tube collectors have a solid, durable, insulated frame with one glazed side which contains absorbers. In this case, the absorbers are individual transparent tubes rather than a single, flat plate under a pane of glass.
The Best Solar Collector
No matter which manufacturer you ask, they'll all tell you they have the best solar collector. They may even tell you that theirs is the most efficient. There's a good chance that they're right, too – and wrong at the same time.
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