Solar Water Heating System Options

Solar water heating systems are aimed at supplying the household or premises with hot water. This can be done in two ways. It can be done using a passive or active solar water heating system.

Both systems have two goals in mind. They aim to use the sun's energy to heat the water supply to the building, thus saving the owner money on electricity or gas charges.

The passive solar heating system is designed for warmer climates as the system is fairly basic. The passive system does not have any moving parts and thus is easy to maintain and will last for a long period. Generally it will consist of a tank for storing water situated on the roof of the building. The will be constructed of a heat conducive metal and painted black to absorb heat. This heat will be used to warm the water in the tank. This water is used for the general use throughout the house or building. Of course this is a very simple system and is dependent on constant and strong sunlight. If the tank has been heated all day it should retain it's heat well into the night.

Often these sorts of systems may be used in outlying areas where power supply is limited or might be used in conjunction with a standard power supply as a way to economize on power usage.

An active solar water heating system is the more traditional way to use and store solar energy. The setup consists of one or more solar cells that are light receptive. They transform the heat from the sun into electrical energy that is stored in a battery.

The energy derived from the solar cell can be used in any number of ways including heating water. This can be monitored by the user of the system.

Like the passive system, a solar cell storage method is often combined with a standard power source and is used to economize on power usage. In some cases the electricity that is created by the solar cells is simply sold to the utilities company that supplies the household with power and this amount of energy is taken off the invoice when it next comes.

It is generally considered to be quite expensive to install an active solar heating system as the solar cells are expensive. Over time this cost will be made up by the savings on monthly power usage. In many countries the government encourages the installation of solar panels and will grant a rebate to homes that use such a system. This can also save the household more money.

Whether you purchase an active solar water heating system or a passive one, you are opting to save money in the long run; in addition to that, you are also option to save scarce resources.