CAN YOU USE SOLAR FOR SPACE HEATING?

Solar thermal panels aren’t often used this way. In summer when the solar resource is good, the demand for space heating is minimal. By the time winter comes, the solar resource available is lousy – so it’s not a good match.

However, in the shoulder months of autumn and spring, there are occasions when the collectors could make a valid contribution. This needs a different setup, with the solar loop feeding a thermal store that has multiple heat inputs and can provide both domestic hot water and space heating.

Bear in mind this would disqualify the installation from receiving RHI payments – even though it’s an efficient use of spare solar resource.