Solar Thermal Panels
MEEL GROUP - SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS: THERMAL PANELS
Heating and hot water from the sun
Our solar energy experts can guide you through the options available, survey your property and supply an easy-to-understand quote for integrating solar panels into your building or home.
Solar thermal panels are a good choice if you want to create a greener building, but your roof space is minimal. The panels can be integrated into your building's hot water heating system. It is an option we often install within Schools and Academies to help reduce their carbon footprint and energy bills.
Solar heating
In a well-insulated property, solar power can be used to heat your home or building very efficiently. Perfect for underfloor heating systems; however, the system can also supply radiators.
Solar hot water
Imagine a hot water supply generated by the sun. Thermal roof panels can heat your home's hot water cylinder, giving you an ample supply of domestic hot water throughout most of the year, only requiring supplementary heating during the winter months.
Domestic and Residential
As well as commercial solutions - solar thermal panels are also a good choice if you are looking to create a greener home, but your roof space is minimal. 2-3 panels will successfully supplement your domestic hot water.
But how
do they work?
Roof-mounted solar thermal panels contain a liquid housed in specially designed tubes; the liquid collects the heat from the sun and is pumped through pipes into the house. This heat is then exchanged to raise the temperature of a large water cylinder. Modern systems are very efficient and reliable.
A standard solar thermal system will have the following:
- Solar thermal panels containing a heat transfer fluid
- A coil heat-exchanger inside a water cylinder. This cylinder will replace a conventional water cylinder.
- A pump that circulates the heat transfer fluid between thermal panels and water cylinder to ensure a constant supply of hot water
- Insulated flow and return pipes that run between the thermal panels on the roof and your water cylinder
- A control panel that monitors temperature and reports any occurring faults in the system
How does the system work?
Solar thermal panels are made up of specially coated, reinforced glass pipes. These pipes contain a heat transfer fluid, which collects heat or energy from the sun. This heated fluid is pumped to a heat exchanger inside the water cylinder in your home, heating your domestic water. After the transfer fluid releases its heat, it is pumped back around the roof panels to collect more energy from the sun.
Your thermal heat system will have thermostatic monitoring equipment making sure your hot water maintains a constant temperature.
Reduced fuel bills
By switching to solar thermal panels and using the sun’s free energy, your bills will naturally decrease.
An average household requires only 2-3 thermal panels. The energy created heats the household hot water and can also power radiators.
Modern, efficient solar panels continue to work throughout the winter months. However, if the water storage cylinder is not hot enough during dull weather, it can be brought up to the correct temperature by a small amount of gas or electricity from the conventional heating system.
We are accredited by MCS – the standards organisation for low-carbon products and installations within the UK. Membership of the MCS shows our adherence to industry standards, highlighting our quality, experience and skill.
Combining Panel Types
It is good to know that you can install both PV panels and thermal panels on your roof, helping towards a more sustainable way of living. A PV solar set-up will create electricity for your home and 2-3 solar thermal panels will heat your hot water. Both PV and thermal panels may look the same on a rooftop but they work in entirely different ways
It is also possible to integrate heat pumps and batteries to produce a building fully served by renewable energy.
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Ask our solar experts
If you have the right type of property, solar thermal panels are a worthwhile investment. They can save you a considerable amount each year on bills. SES is here to assess what type of panels will benefit you the most.
Solar thermal panels continue to work in the winter months but run less efficiently; your hot water will need an additional boost in temperature from another source.
There are both grants and incentives to help you with costs. For example, grants are available if you remove a gas boiler and replace it with a renewable energy source. The government has now removed all VAT on all renewable energy products and their installation.
Solar thermal panels are an efficient and reliable source of renewable energy, needing very little maintenance. We only use industry-leading components when installing a system..
We will need to replace the hot water cylinder with a new type at your property. If you do not have one, we will advise on the best place to install it in your home. The cylinder stores the heated water produced by the thermal panels.
Solar thermal panels can be an attractive option for public sector buildings & local authorities.
Schools, colleges, hospitals, the MOD & prisons can all benefit from reducing their carbon footprint and lowering their annual fuel costs.
Solar panels for commercial buildings.
Solar thermal panels are excellent ‘green’ options for building managers, policymakers and financial directors to incorporate into their sustainability policies. Integrating renewables into a building’s power system shrinks its carbon footprint and reduces annual running costs.
With over 50 years of experience working with conventional heating and power systems for schools, hospitals, and businesses, our Meel Group team is perfectly placed to propose how renewable energy sources can be a sustainable addition to your building.
We can integrate heat pumps, solar electric and solar thermal systems to provide a green and long term solution to your building’s energy use.
We do all the work
We offer free, impartial advice, site survey and proposal. Our renewable energy engineers will help you with all aspects of the work, including:
- Planning
- Meter supplies
- Supply the most appropriate, high-quality products on the market
- Professionally fit your system to the highest accredited standards
- Meet all the current Health and Safety requirements
- Offer you bespoke aftercare and maintenance packages and carry out any work under the manufacturer’s warranty.
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Get in touch
Let's talk solar heating
Tell us a little about your needs and your property. We will be in touch to see how we can help.
