Solar water heating

In half an hour enough energy reaches the earth surface from the sun to meet the world’s energy demand for a year. The sun produces 400 x 1012 TW. The world average energy consumption is around 14TW.
I will be focusing on solartwin an award winning zero carbon solar water heating system for washing and bathing.

Solartwin

Solartwin is a solar powered water heating system which is reliable quickly fitted and surprisingly affordable. Solartwin gives you the satisfaction of knowing that your solar hot water is produced environmentally. They do this by eliminating the ecological contradiction inherent in conventional solar heating which is used to burn up mains electricity in order to deliver solar energy. Instead, solartwin uses a clever 100% solar powered solar electric pump. Solartwin also avoids the problem of frozen pipes bursting in winter. Solartwin is designed to be energy efficient and green from day one which means goodbye to anti freeze chemicals and hello to 100% renewable energy solar powered plumbing-no parasitic electricity in use, the lightweight solar panels means less embodied energy, with respect to its simplicity and speed it provides free solar hot water at your fingertips its normally fitted in a day. Renewable solar energy outside becomes solar hot water in your bath furthermore unique freeze tolerant panels improves performance yet simplifies design and it moves your eco home towards sustainability and self sufficiency. Another very important aspect is that it cuts global warming typically by 250kg co2 per year or more. With regards to its reliability it has a five year performance warranty; it’s normally available from UK manufactured stock and has a robust low pressure design. Installations are available all over the UK and Ireland. Financing of the product is no hassle with high performance solar hot water at a brilliant price low running costs with a 100% solar pump and also low maintenance costs.

The solartwin system is simply a 2.8 square metre solar water heating collector panel on the roof, plus an intelligent solar powered water pump and two strong thin flexible supply pipes. From the outside solartwin looks like most conventional solar water
heating panels: a black sheet of metal in a double glazed box. Like all solar water heaters, this absorbs solar energy and heats up. Because the solartwin system is freeze tolerant, it now collects the heat using ordinary water, rather than anti freeze. Also, because it uses a photovoltaic (solar electric) panel to power the pump, the solartwin system is totally solar. The pump responds intelligently to reduced levels of sunlight by pumping slower. As a result unlike most systems, it provides roughly the same water temperature increase all the time even if its sunny or overcast. It delivers the hot water directly into your existing hot water storage cylinder along simple to install flexible pipes. The solar hot water floats on top of the colder water in the storage cylinder, waiting to leave first, when you want to use it. Solartwin installation also requires few technical skills. Only a single full skill is required in the installer the skill of working on a roof. The need for plumbing skill is minimised although not completely removed since two simple “tee” connections need to be made to your existing plumbing. The remainder of the plumbing involves simply laying and clipping flexible pipes. No mains electricity skills are needed whatsoever because the system runs on low voltage solar electricity. Solartwin is a double award winning solar water heating technology and is used in many sectors, including domestic and social housing.

This project is personally relevant to me because I have always been fascinated with the way solar energy and power works and how it can be used efficiently in place of electric power which will have a positive effect on our eco system. I believe that in a few years time most technological appliances will be solar powered in an effort to save the energy in our planet and to reduce global warming.

plan of inquiry

I will focus on technology projects which are being done or thought of presently. I will describe the solartwin project and explain how it works, I also would like for the reader to understand the importance of this new technology to us and to the environment as well. I researched other types of sustainable technology covering various aspects.
1. Tidal power in the UK
2. Environmental friendly cars
3. Solar energy
4. Severn barrage projects