Guide to Buying Solar Hot Water System in Victoria

Solar hot water systems (which generate thermal energy in water using the heat from the Sun) differ
from photovoltaic panels (which generate electricity using the light from the Sun) but both make a
valuable contribution in our quest to be more sustainable.

These days, solar hot water comes in several different types and choosing the most
appropriate configuration can be a bit of a maze, but in general, a solar hot water system consists of a
storage tank (to store the hot water until required) and a means of harvesting the energy from the
Sun. All solar hot water services need to have a supplementary form of heating known as ‘boosting’ –
electricity, natural gas, LP gas, wood heat, or a combination of these, for periods when the hot water
demand is too high and/or when the available solar energy is too low. The aim of a quality design
and installation is to maximise the solar energy contribution and minimise the need for boosting.

Part of the role of a good merchant is to represent the consumer – to provide clients with the best
options for their needs. Ultimately, products provided and installed need to be ‘fit for purpose’ –
that is they need to work, (in this case) provided sufficient hot water, and (as far as we are
concerned) the product needs to have a reasonable life span.

The most appropriate system for your needs will depend on the amount of hot water required, the
amount of available roof space, the quality of the cold water supply and the proposed location of the
system (ie will it be subject to shading or heavy frost?).

In Australia, the typically available solar hot water systems fall into two types:
[1] Solar Thermal Collector Systems; and
[2] Heat Pump Systems.
There will be an emerging third group where PV panels are used to generate electricity which is then used to produce hot water.