Solar Thermal

After taking all the energy efficiency measures you can in your home or place of work, installing a solar thermal system is usually the first micro-generation technology you should install.

A solar thermal system harnesses the energy from the sun to provide environmentally-friendly, low cost hot water. Heating water traditionally accounts for around 40% of an average home’s energy bills. A solar thermal system provides on average around 60% of your hot water needs, just from the sun’s energy. Solar thermal systems even work on cloudy days as they use diffuse light – not direct sunlight. If you are currently using oil, gas or electricity for your hot water, you would be financially better off by having a solar thermal system installed. A solar thermal system can pay for itself in under five years.

Many homeowners have been deterred from solar thermal after being told that their existing hot-water cylinder is incompatible. Replacing a cylinder usually increases the expense of an install considerably, but R-ECO has innovative systems and methods of modifying your existing cylinder to keep the cost of the install down. Your existing cylinder may be out of date and may as well be replaced at the same time, but we will never replace your cylinder unless we have to.

Below is a diagram of how a system works in relation to your property:

Solar thermal systems come in two forms: flat plate and evacuated tubes. R-ECO recommends evacuated tubes for the simple reason that they, like the sun, are round! When the sun is low in the sky, the round collector surface absorbs energy while a flat-plate collector reflects it. This makes them much more efficient, which significantly improves the performance. As a result, less panels are needed and so costs are lower.

Unlike many of the systems on the market, ours do not require an anti-freezing agent such as Glycol. This makes our systems truly 100% maintenance free. We can even install a small solar PV panel that powers the system pump. So. you will still have hot water during a power cut. If you are currently looking around comparing companies to supply your solar thermal system, ask them whether they can match our 100% maintenance free, 100% solar powered thermal system. We don't think they can. 

Above: The 100% Solar, solar thermal systems that R-ECO can install on your home or office.

Call R-ECO now and discuss how a solar thermal system could benefit your household. We will come and survey your premises and give you a free estimate. You will be pleasantly surprised at how low our prices are, and this does not mean we compromise on quality. In fact, quite the opposite. Remember, R-ECO is a Social Enterprise and a Not-For-Profit company. We offer market leading products and provide them at the best price we possibly can.