The Evacuated Skyreach Solar panel in our Bournemouth office.

We supply high quality, low priced renewable energy systems including evacuated tube solar collectors, wind turbines and heat pumps (ground source and air to water) for both the commercial and domestic markets. We fully understand that this will be a very new area of energy provision for many people accessing this site and we consequently encourage any questions you may have. We have tried to keep this section as brief and to the point as possible and although the FAQ`s below will probably not answer all of your questions they will hopefully point you in the right direction;

What is Solar Energy? It is basically the heat and light emitted from our sun and is the cleanest and most inexhaustible of all known energy sources. Light Energy can be converted into electricity using photo-voltaic (PV) cells. Thermal Energy can be used to heat buildings and produce hot water.

What is Insolation? As opposed to insulation, insolation is the amount of sunlight falling onto a given place on Earth. An area`s average insolation level is one of the factors used to determine the size and number of solar collectors required. Figures are expressed in kWh/sqm

How many Solar Panels will I need? This will depend on a number of factors including insolation level, energy required, how many in the family, size of water cylinder or thermal store, direction the panel(s) will be facing etc. Every household is different and this is why we like to survey each property before providing quotations as it is important not to under or oversize systems.

What is the power output of the Skyreach Solar Collectors? This will obviously vary depending on the time of year. In Summer in Southern England for example, we receive approximately 10x the solar energy we do in Winter. During these months you can expect a maximum of 14kWh of heat per day from 1 x 20 tube panel. This drops to approximately 1.2kWh per day (per panel) in Winter, however, due to the very high efficiency of our panels it is still possible to heat your water to 60c even in January (by the way, this is impossible with a Flat Plate Collector).

Won`t the Solar Panels freeze in Winter? First of all the collector is very well insulated with 2" of  Rockwool or polyurethane, so the weather would have to be persistently and exceptionally below freezing. Secondly, closed systems (indirect) are always filled with a 40% solar antifreeze (food grade) solution, this provides protection to -21c. Thirdly with potable systems (cylinder conversions) we always advise fitting top of the range controllers with in-built Freeze Protection. A sensor monitors the temperature of the water in the Collector and if it falls below 4c, the pump will automatically come on circulating the water. However, with indirect systems this function should be switched off.

Are these systems high maintenance?  Our installation system of choice is open vented (non pressurised), therefore, making them pretty much maintenance free. However, even with a pressurised system, the maintenance is minimal - the pressure would need to be checked periodically to ensure against water leaks and any air in the system. Electricity needs to be connected at all times to ensure the Controller maintains the required temperature. If in the extremely rare event that a seal breaks on one of the tubes giving loss of vacuum, the tube turns white, however, our system has been developed to simply remove the broken tube and plug in another, a bit like replacing a light bulb. (With some systems on the market, if there is a breakage it all needs to be closed down to repair it and where this is not possible a whole new system needs to be installed).

How long is the guarantee?  We offer a fully comprehensive, no quibble 24 month guarantee on all of our installation work. Individual components (pumps, valves etc) are as per the manufacturers guarantee which is normally 12 months. With regard to the actual solar panels, the tubes are warrantied against loss of vacuum, by the manufacturer for 10 years.  

How long should I expect my system to last? Ourselves and our manufacturer partner have gone to great lengths to ensure our systems will stand the test of time. With no moving parts and the components being very durable and of the highest quality such as stainless steel, copper, titanium and borosilicate glass the life expectancy of our product is 20 - 25 years.

Do I need Planning Permission? In the vast majority of cases, no, as the Government is trying to promote and encourage the use of renewable energy systems. However, if you live in a listed building or Conservation Area it may be best to check with the local council first. Even then, if the collectors are fitted to the rear of a building, planning is not usually required.

Can a solar energy system be combined with my existing boiler? In virtually all cases, whether you have gas or oil fired boilers, a solar energy system will be compatible. There can be difficulties with some of the older style Combi`s, particularly if the pipes are buried in the walls, however, normally in these cases it makes little sense anyway to combine a highly efficient solar collector with a boiler that is likely to be running at only around 40% efficiency.

I hear condensing gas boilers are very efficient are they the answer?  They are a step in the right direction as they are undoubtedly more efficient than traditional boilers (when in condensing mode), however, there are a lot of factors that should be considered before opting to have one installed. Gas is becoming a very precious commodity and firstly you should be aware that the UK became a net importer of gas for the first time in 2005 and within the next 10 years the level of imported gas will rise to 80%. We have already witnessed huge price increases in the last 2 years and this will only continue as reserves become depleted (see DTI website). If this is still the route you wish to take, please consider the following;

1. Many of the condensing boilers fitted today are very sophisticated, but also use much lower quality raw materials and components than those used  in the past. This will unquestionably lead to higher maintenance costs over the years to come and a maximum life span of 10 years should be built in to your costings (many very experienced gas fitters have this opinion and we were principally advised by a British Gas Engineer with over 25 years for the company).

2. Average replacement part prices as of January `06 from British Gas are i) Heat Exchanger £276.54  ii) Circuit Board £246.57  iii) Pump £208.78. It is not just the cost of the boiler installation to be considered.

3. Buy a condensing boiler that is compatible with solar hot water systems. Many cannot accept pre-heated water and also have inferior heat exchangers. Even if you do not want a solar hot water system now, we can guarantee you will in the future as gas prices leap upwards.

4. If you can, purchase a condensing boiler with a lengthy guarantee, especially on the parts that are more likely to need replacing, like the heat exchanger - stainless steel is best and will last longer.

5. Our future supplies of gas are far from secure and consequently prices for this ever decreasing commodity will rise rapidly in the years to come. It makes a lot of sense to look at the alternatives to gas and oil heating in an effort to become as energy self-sufficient as possible. Consider Heat Pumps, both Ground Source and Air to Water. They have a very high energy co-efficient of about 4:1 (4 units of energy out for each unit put in) and when combined with solar collectors for hot water and under floor heating can completely negate the use of traditional boilers.