It’s a fact that Australia has the world’s most extensive solar radiation at 58m Petajoules per year that is approximately 10, 000 times more than its total energy consumption. With solar hot water, you can heat up all your home’s water using the sun. What’s more, there are extra benefits including significant savings on hot water energy, reduced carbon emission, and potentially increase to your property value – it’s no wonder their installation is a high priority for Aussies.
In this blog, we’re going to look at these three benefits of solar hot water. Before we jump into that, let’s quickly explain the difference between solar hot water and solar power, also known as solar photovoltaic, so that you have a clear understanding of what we’re talking about.
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Solar Hot Water Vs. Solar Photovoltaic
When people think of solar, the first thing they associate this technology is with solar power, forgetting that there are other ways the sun’s energy is being used. Many solar hot water systems use roof-mounted solar collectors to heat their water with a storage tank to keep the water hot and ready for use.
How Does This Work?
Simply put; hot water rises! When the water is heated by the sun in the solar collector, the temperature causes the water to rise and move through insulated pipes to the storage tank. This allows residents and commercial properties to take advantage of the abundant sunshine for their hot water needs instead of relying on gas networks or the electricity grid. This is what we call solar thermal technology.
Areas prone to frost, the solar design is different as the collector contains a fluid that also rises as the sun heats up the water and is transferred via the stored water in the tank. An increasing design uses ground-mounted tanks together with a small circulator pumps to send water to roof-mounted collectors for the cycle to begin.
PV units, on the other hand, generate electricity from the sun. As you may know, solar panels are designed with several photovoltaic cells; these are what converts the sunlight into electricity and gets used in homes or stored in a battery to be utilised later.
The Benefits Of Solar Hot Water
For the ultimate peace of mind in your Australia home, here are the benefits of installing solar hot water.
- Spend money on heating water you need: With everything that we go through on a daily, it’s easy for us to lose track of what we spend on. With using solar, you can start reducing how much you spend on the energy you use. Solar hot water installations are an excellent way to minimise energy consumption from the grid with all the benefits of heated water for your home.
Key Stats And Facts:
- Energy use in Australia makes up about 25% of conventional water heaters. By switching to solar hot water, you can significantly reduce the amount of energy you use.
- You can save up to 65% of hot water energy use when replacing gas or electric water heaters with solar hot water.
- Solar hot water is one of the most cost-effective, reliable, and proven solar technology alternatives developed in Australia and spearheaded by Solahart in 1953.
- Solar hot water helps you contribute to the environment: Start enjoying hot showers, complete washing, dishwashing, and carrying out all your household activities while reducing your greenhouse emissions. Renewable energy sources are a great way of helping develop a sustainable environment.
Key Stats And Facts:
- Another interesting fact is that Solahart solar hot water systems can save between 1.6 and 2.7 tonnes of carbon emission each year!
- Solar hot water technology using collector panels is more efficient per square meter than solar power panels.
- Increase Your Property Value: When you get a solar hot water installation for your home, they can increase the value of your property. 75% of Australians said that solar hot water is an excellent addition to the value of the home they want.
Key Stats And Facts:
- 75% of renters are willing to pay extra to live in a place with solar energy.
- Two out of 5 Australians said they’d pay $10 extra per week.
Solar hot water installations are a great way to start living a more eco-friendly, cost-effective and viable life, and we can help.
At Kalamunda Plumbing, we are a family-owned business now in its third generation. We provide a range of solar hot water services, including installations, plumbing, and cooling and drain services. Speak to us today about your needs!