Renewable energy frequently asked questions

Q. How much can I save with a solar heating system?

A. Up to 60% of your domestic hot water energy costs!

Q. Is there enough sun in Britain to provide enough heat?

A. Yes! An efficient solar heating system will make the best use of whatever solar energy there is - even on a dull day.

Q. Where can they be located?

A. Flat panels should ideally be on a south facing, pitched roof. Tubes are more flexible and can even be installed on flat roofs & walls.

Q. How does it work?

A. Flat or tube collectors absorb heat from the sun, to heat a liquid, which travels to the water tank. A heat exchanger transfers the heat to the hot water supply.

Q. Are solar panels worth fitting?

A. For larger households that use a lot of water they can mean significant savings on fuel bills and emissions.

Q. Is solar heating reliable?

A. Yes! Viessmann has decades of experience in solar heating technology.

Q. What’s the advantage of tube systems over flat panels?

A. Viessmann solar tubes can be individually rotated towards the sun, for maximum performance. They can also be easier and cheaper to install.

SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEMS

The sun’s energy is free, effective and never going to run out. A home solar system by Viessmann reduces emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2 the greenhouse gas) by around 3/4 tonne per year!

HEAT PUMPS

Heat pumps extract heat from the ground, ground water or air. A heat pump can be used instead of, or alongside a conventional boiler and is perfect for running an underfloor heating system.

Ground Source Heat Pumps
If a large area of land is available (about the size of a tennis court), ‘slinky’ pipes can be laid 2-3m below the surface of the ground. The alternative is to sink vertical bore holes, to depths of up to 100m, where temperatures are maintained at a steady 10°C.

Air/Water Heat Pumps
These offer the most flexibility in terms of installation, as they require no drilling or digging. They can generate heat even in the winter months and Viessmann Air/Water heat pumps can achieve temperatures of up to 65°C.