Solar hot water offers plenty of energy savings

In Australia, an average household can use around 25% of its total energy on heating water.

As electricity prices rise, a solar hot water system may be a great cost-saving option for many households.

Here at Solar Australia, we offer both roof-mounted solar collectors and solar heat pumps.

Roof-mounted solar collectors

Homes with plenty of direct sunlight during the day would benefit from a roof-mounted solar collector.

This option sees the sun heat up the hot water collector which feeds directly into the home’s hot water appliances. Often a backup electrical element supplements this during high hot water demand or low sunlight periods.

Solar heat pumps

Not all of our customers can have solar hot water collectors on their roofs due to available space or shading, so a solar heat pump hot water system is a great solution.

This system operates similarly to a household air conditioner or refrigerator (in reverse). Air is drawn into the heat pump with a fan and then through an evaporator which contains a special type of refrigerant.

The refrigerant, now in gaseous form, is then compressed by the heat pump, which generates heat. This heat is then transferred into the storage tank, heating a household’s water supply for later use.

Since the heat has been extracted from the refrigerant, the cool liquid returns to the evaporator to start the process all over again.

Those without a solar hot water system can still save on their water heating costs with a few simple steps:

Turn off the hot tap on the washing machine so all loads use cold water;
consider placing a timer in the bathroom to encourage shorter showers;
switch off the home’s hot water system when on holidays;
reduce the home’s hot water system’s temperature to 60°c; and
insulate hot water pipes or the hot water system where possible and safe, ensuring it doesn’t impact upon warranties.

Those who install a solar hot water system at home could be eligible to receive renewable power incentives in the form of Small-scale Technology Certificates. An STC is a measure of renewable energy which can be traded for cash or a discount on the purchase price of a hot water system.

Interested in solar hot water for your home? Contact us and we can outline all available options as well as government rebates and incentives to ensure you get the right hot water system for your home.