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Community Project to Install Low Cost
Solar Thermal
Solar water heating has limited uptake because the typical
cost of a system is nearly £5,000 and has had an annual
return of 0.5 - 1.5%.
Henley Solar has ambitious aims to implement a low cost system
to provide solar heated water to homes in Henley and, by stages,
nationally. It will be run as a social enterprise. The new
system has been implemented successfully at one home since
May 2011 and the next stage is 8 to 10 ‘pioneer applications’.
Typical returns from a solar system are only £30 to
£80 annually but this will rise to £130 to £180
or more in October when the government’s Renewable Heat
Incentive (RHI) is due to become payable (there is still uncertainty
over the scheme). While the eventual cost to customers of
the new solar system is expected to be somewhat above £1,500,
as an incentive for our pioneers we request that only equipment,
insurance and roofing costs are covered: £800 (13 to
18% annual return with RHI).
For most small to average homes, a single flat glass panel
sized about 1m by 2m will be needed, ideally facing between
south east and south west. In the attic the panel will be
linked to the plumbing by low-pressure silicone rubber tubes
and a 12 Volt pump & controller.
Click
Here for full details ( pdf )
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