For those interested in solar heating, a very good website to start with http://builditsolar.com/Projects/Wat...ing.htm#Basics
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For those interested in solar heating, a very good website to start with http://builditsolar.com/Projects/Wat...ing.htm#Basics
Solar is starting to catch on here, the UK plumbing trade is very cautious about "New stuff" The main issue here is the initial cost of the equipment and space to fit an unvented tank when many small houses have had their hot water cylinders ripped out and replaced with a combi boiler.. I sometimes am amazed at the British determination to make every small corner a room, the old airing cupboard becomes a shower and the space under the staircase becomes a downstairs loo... Then the numpties have no where to store their vacuum cleaners and stuff like that.
Visited Bavaria a couple of years ago and was amazed at the amount of roof space that has been dedicated to Solar panels... Some houses had a full roof of panels..
Recently, I attended a 5-day Solar PV training program. As a formally trained electrician, I enjoyed the knowledge. There were a number of plumbers in the class and we swapped info.
Solar water-heating (SWH) has been used for over a hundred-years, in different parts of the USA. Because it's far more efficient to heat water than make "electricity", coupled with the "rate of pay-off", SWH should be an easier sell. Having said that, one would think that we would have many more SWH systems.
After my last "heated debate" about self-reliance, I realized that my opponent was hooked-on government subsidies and wouldn't listen to reason or anything related to personal committment.
I survived our last two power-outages by utilitizing storage batteries, and kerosene for heat and boiling. Most of my neighbors were flopped at my house, and, after, were busy filing insurance claims. Yes, I need to upgrade.
Solar energy use is very good habit. Its the only energy that we get easily and free of cost. Also it is kind of energy that will never finished.
These two sentence are overstatements.;)Quote:
Originally Posted by stefen
To be fair though, when solar energy is exhausted, whether solar panels work will pretty much way down the list of our worries and energy from wind is free, actually isnīt all energy free (apart from fossil fuels)?