Solar panels for electricty and heating

On average, in the south of France, we receive 300 days of sunshine every year. A huge environmentally friendly power station beaming down on our roofs, pools and gardens begging to be used for something more than a sun tan! We’ve all felt the temperature of water from a garden hose left in the sun, enjoyed the gentle heat radiating from a sunbathed evening wall, or moved a pocket calculator into the light to help the tiny solar cell power it sufficiently.

Solar panels for heating are an extension of the hose pipe in the garden. Known as solar thermal panels they are simply painted copper plates & tubes exposed to the sun in an insulated, aluminum framed box. The box is weather proofed with a sheet of toughened treated glass that traps the energy in (pretty much like the glass of a greenhouse) I’ve seen panels made out of an old radiator by painting it black, mounting it in a glazed wooden box and pointing it at the sun! Add a pump, some piping, a tank and voila; it really can be that simple (but a bit heavy) Storing the energy is equally easy. Just let the sun heat up lots of water and store it in an insulated tank. Use it for your domestic hot water and if there’s enough of it, pump it around your radiators or under floor heating. (Our DIY panel)

Solar panels for generating electricity are much more complicated. Serious chemistry and physics are required to manufacture the thousands of tiny interconnected modules for a panel that produces useful electricity. Known as solar photovoltaic panels they are usually installed in multiples called arrays or strings. Storing the energy means connecting the panels, via a charger to batteries. The stored electricity can then be used to power domestic appliances after converting it to mains voltage with what’s know as an Inverter.

We install all types of solar panel systems many of which are subsidised by grants and tax credits.

Why not reduce your energy costs and your carbon footprint today?

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