Is a solar water heating system still viable in the UK?

[Jayhawk]

I am new to this site and hoping through all of you in plumbing and heating problem solving area that I can find out how viable solar water heating is in the UK, which I was involved in as a designer and distributor until 2009.

Will the RHI next April increase the interest in free energy, or is SWH seen as to expensive and does not work?
All views welcome and my replies open to all

 

[transam]

Solar , company i use to work for were putting solar in en-masse in the 80's

which consisted of a radiator painted blk fixed to the roof & a 2nd cylinder in the loft worked , well sort of

IMHO most renewables ?? are only viable finacially ? if the are subsidised i.e those who cannot afford it or have it subsidise those who can sort of a Hood robin scheme take from the poor & give to the rich (maybe?)

The country cannot afford it ? shale gas is the future ? all them protesters blocking roads & causing mayhem , get a job , or bang em up

 

[Dan Robinson]

The solar thermal systems we fitted work very well, but then, we were very picky about where and how they were fitted.

It can be viable, but not everywhere.

 

[Norcon]

Customer I was with today has a 20kw photovoltaic system installed.
German system!
Cost = £25,000

It was generating 11kw today at 3.00pm.
He uses some and excess is exported to the grid.
Five year payback then a further 15 years of rhi payments and payment for the excess sold to the grid.

Not too shabby eh?

 

[Jayhawk]

Reading your replies back to my question, what you are all saying is that a £1,000 4m2 solar water heating system (not including installation costs) is no longer seen as viable as the the only FREE energy to provide up to 70% of a homes hot water?

I have such a system on the roof of my home in Dorset that has been working very succesfully for the past 8 years, designed by me to be simple, service free, supports the space heating in the day, freeze free.

Those who believe we should just follow the USA and find more gas, will still pay for ever and a day what the Utility and Governments want to charge you.
My 12 year old gas boiler is going strong becouse for 6 months of the year its switched off.
That is what I call a real year on year saving outside any utlity and government interference.

 

[Boilerman2]

There is now an automatic switch available for PV systems, which when output is exceeding demand the Immersion Heater is automatically activated effectively heating your hot water for free just like Solar thermal - only better
in other words best of both worlds - go for PV with HW switching