BetaTalk - The Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Heating Podcast Solar Thermal Heating Systems - Busting the Myths & Why it's so Good
Evacuated Solar Thermal Tubes trap infrared heat energy during the daytime whether it's cloudy or not. Ironically, despite this being a similar process to how CO2 traps infrared (the Green House Effect) this renewable technology for heating water (the most energy intensive common substance to heat up in the universe with a SHC of 4.186) is under utilised in the UK.
This FREE heat is perhaps not liked by the energy industry who profit from fuel (gas, oil and hydrogen) and electric (e.g. PV photovoltaic solar panels and heat pumps)
Solar Thermal is an off-grid technology which can provide FREE hot water and heat. Evacuated tubes which were developed in a joint venture by Australian and Chinese universities are more efficient than flat plate and combined with a Thermal Store can contribute to the heating of a home. In this episode Nathan Gambling (BetaTeach) chats to renewable experts Brandon from BTSE Heating https://btseheating.com and Steve Calvert from S.Calvert Plumbing and Heating https://www.scalvertplumbingandheating.co.uk about the advantages of solar thermal hot water and heating systems.
Topics discussed are:
- Frost protection - you don't always need expensive and problematic Glycol
- Are manufacturer’s warranties and incentive schemes stifling this free technology?
- Evacuated tubes are more efficient and practical than flat plate solar collectors
- Free solar thermal energy
- Thermal stores - unvented and open vented
- Cylinders do not produce as much hot water as stores
- Why isn't industry (e.g. trade bodies and organisations) discussing this FREE technology
- Ireland uses Solar Thermal
- Worcester Bosch evacuated tubes are no longer available
- What is PVT (PVThermal) and Erick Hawkins retrofit system
- Heat Pumps
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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky