Aug 1 2005
Worcester Bosch is continuing to raise the bar in the heating industry by launching its new solar water heating solution – Greenskies.
Specifically tailored to meet the needs of the UK market and developed in line with helping meet the Government’s target of reducing CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050, the Worcester Greenskies FK240 Solar Panels have been designed as the ideal partner to the SEDBUK A rated Greenstar condensing regular and system boilers.
Tony Nott, product manager for new technologies for Worcester Bosch said: “There is a real need to begin harnessing sustainable energy solutions to not only reduce carbon emissions but also to help reduce fuel bills for the homeowner as fuel prices continue to rise.
“At Worcester Bosch we take our environmental responsibilities seriously. Greenskies complements existing heating systems, with a typical well sized solar system providing around half of the domestic hot water requirements of a home over a year, which represents a worthwhile saving on hot water heating costs. The contribution should reach 80-90% during the summer months, 40-50% during spring and autumn and approximately 20-30% during winter.”
This new addition to Worcester Bosch’s product range contains flat plate collectors, a pump station, controller, automatic air vent, expansion vessel, heat transfer liquid and roof fixings. Extremely quick and easy to install, the most common system uses a twin coil cylinder which is fed by both a boiler and the solar panels. The panels on the roof take in the energy from the sun and work through daylight hours even in cloudy weather, thanks to a special coating which increases the energy absorbed into the pipework of the panels. The pipework contains a mixture of glycol and water, which is circulated by a pump to the coil in the hot water storage cylinder to heat the water.
Continued Tony: “The solar panels can be fixed on a tilted roof or, by using a support kit to tilt the panels, they can also be installed on flat roofs. Before specifying a solar system, installers need to check there is sufficient space on the roof for the panels and clearances, that the panels will not be shaded by other buildings or trees and that an appropriate orientation is possible, with south facing being the optimum. A boiler or other heat source will still be required to work alongside the solar system, but overall usage of the boiler will be reduced, thereby cutting the households CO2 emissions.”
Solar heating is an option the government is backing through its funding initiative – Clearskies – run through the DTI. It entitles homeowners and not-for-profit organisations to financial help with a solar system. Householders can apply for a grant of £400 regardless of the system size. Around 3,000 Clearskies grants were accepted for solar in 2004, showing that this technology is destined to play an important role in renewable energy sources.