Is it Possible to Generate Free Hot Water with Solar PV?

Here in the UK, many more households are adopting solar panel systems for their electricity needs. As opposed to depending on the national grid solely, the use of solar panels offers greener, cleaner, and more cost-effective energy production.

Moreover, there is one added boost to the use of solar photovoltaics, and that’s the generation of hot water. Read on to understand how you can get free hot water with Solar PV.

Moving from Solar Thermal Systems to Solar Photovoltaics

Can you generate hot water with Solar PV? The simple answer is yes. As long as you’ve got a hot water tank in your home, that is.

Remember that solar panels are pretty much paid for at the initial purchase and installation, notes TJC Real Estate Management; the usage that follows is considered “free”, including the electricity that will eventually heat your water tanks.

Basically, you can know when you’ve gotten back all the money spent on solar panels by dividing that sum by your average light bill. However, that’s not today’s focus, but at least you understand how generating hot water from solar PVs is “free”.

Also, heating your water tanks using solar PVs provided by The Solar Co is an easy way to increase your self-consumption, ensuring you make the most of the energy your panels generate.

At the same time, using solar photovoltaics is a step away from the more complicated solar thermal systems. Electricity generated using solar PVs is less costly, less maintenance-intensive, and more efficient, so that’s a huge win for households.

How Is Hot Water Generated with Solar PV?

It’s simple: if your household comes with a hot water or buffer storage tank with a heating rod, then you can generate free hot water. Of course, the heating rod is an electrically operated tool with the simple function of heating the water inside your tanks.

What’s even more interesting is that heat losses from hot water tanks lose heat at a low rate, making it easier to keep the water heated for a long period. Solar PVs have also been improved to allow intelligent use of their systems. By so doing, it’s easier to control the output of heating elements in the case of surplus photovoltaic electricity.

Where Can This System Be Applied?

The most common applications of this system are also found in:

• Multistorey households
• Single-family households
• Grid-tied with battery storage
• Grid-tied without battery storage
• Row houses
• Off-grid buildings

Benefits of Generating Hot Water Using Solar Photovoltaics

There are simple but life-improving benefits of using solar PVs for your hot water needs:

• Improved self-consumption to increase the efficiency of energy output.
• It is a simpler and more efficient method than solar thermal systems.
• Installation isn’t tasking thanks to the use of cables instead of pipes.
• Little maintenance is required, unlike solar thermal systems.
• Adds to the clean and climate-friendly nature of energy generation from solar PVs.
• Saves your household from rising electricity costs.

Wrapping Up

Making the switch from grid-tied power generation to solar PVs has proven to be a life-improving step for UK households. You improve your solar energy efficiency and enjoy a system that’s easy to use and maintain, so there’s really no reason to wait anymore.