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Renewable Energy: Advice for a novice on Solar Water Heating Installation

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorKewJumper
    • CommentTimeNov 23rd 2007
     
    Apologies in advance if these questions have already been answered elsewhere on the Forum. If so, please point me at the right place.

    We have a reasonable-sized house with a decent area of pitched roof (pointing SE and NW, mostly, unfortunately) in a suburban part of the Great Wen. It's a 2-year-old house on a new-ish estate, already equipped with much CO2 reduction kit (UF heating, full insulation, latest condensing boiler, etc). I'd like to reduce the CO2 emissions from electricity use still further. I'm currently evaluating solar Domestic Water heating (and PV if the installation costs of combining the 2 are sufficiently advantageous), but I have neither the expertise nor the time to do a proper assessment of the specific requirements myself. I therefore have 2 questions for all the experts out there:

    1. Is there a reliable (ie not commercially biased) organisation or consulting body (preferably based locally in SW London) who can assess a particular location and give a sensible outline of the work required for Solar DW and PV?
    2. Does anybody have any experience and tips regarding the planning process for such applications?

    Any suggestions welcome...
  2.  
    http://www.solarforlondon.org.uk/

    Try them. I know they were very active a while ago. I don't know what the current picture is.

    Try also your local EEAC (0800 512 012) who may have (or be able to refer you to) a renewable energy advisor.

    Nick
    • CommentAuthoredwinvanek
    • CommentTimeNov 23rd 2007
     
    The low impact living initiative do a DIY installation course which is weekend course for £150 which is not only good for DIY installation but also to get to know more about solar hot water systems and options in general (www.lili.org.uk).
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeNov 23rd 2007
     
    Hi Jumper, nice name and nice to find someone who cant spell either. ( Queue?)

    It is no problem the roof facing south east. There may be a problem with your air leakage which should be attended to are you wet plastered or blob n dobbed?

    You would do well to fit solar water heating system. It is a good investment and saves precious energy resources too.

    PV is not all that economical at the moment and there is some expectation that the cost of the pv panels/tiles etc will drop in the near future so best to wait on that one unless you are very rich or desperate to have them.

    Plenty of good info on here if you use search the facility.
    • CommentAuthorKewJumper
    • CommentTimeNov 28th 2007
     
    Thanks for the responses. I'll follow up, and update the thread with any news.
    • CommentAuthortrotsky
    • CommentTimeDec 13th 2007
     
    I went on the LILI ( low impact living Initiative ) course and got my panels from them. A good course to understand the basics.
    Solar hot water gives you hot water u can use right away. Photo Voltaic produces elctricity at low voltage which has to be stored or sold back to grid at unfavourable price. Not so good.
    Planning permission isn't normally needed, and the rules have been further relaxed, try an informal word with your planning dept. I mounted my panels elevated from the roof at 50 degrees and across the roof valley so they face due south. ie not flush.to maximise winter gain and reduce chance of too much hot water in summer. This could have been a planning problem a while back, One neighbour was a bit moany.. But as the rules have been relaxed all is ok.
    very cheap to do £1500 or less with LILI.

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