Solar on a housing development

Cabaal

Myself and the gf are looking at getting a house thats part of a big housing development of around 160 houses...it'll be a three bed semi.

I've wanted to go green as I can and its always something I wanted to do when I get my own house, I'll be making sure all the bulbs are energy saving etc but what Id really like to do is go solar.

My plan would be, for normal everyday use to use a normal electric powered shower that would heat the water itself.

But in order to cut down on oil costs (as it'll be used for heating), I'd like to run the rest of the house hot water off of solar.

I'm just wondering is this worth doing, what kinda costs would I be looking at and would I have any restrictions when it comes to putting up panels on my roof (either inset or onto of the slates).

The solar heated water would be used for general use, washing, baths from time to time etc, nothing major as we'd have the shower.

Any thoughts?

ircoha

as the answers depend on what stage it is at, if u can get the house modded at the build stage, all the better.

If using solar to heat the water in the cylinder u need a dual coil 'immersion' cylinder, one coil for solar other for CHeating

In passing, solar alone will not heat the house.

Look at www.sei.ie and search the rest of boards as there is loads of stuff on these point already.

Mellor

Cabaal wrote:

My plan would be, for normal everyday use to use a normal electric powered shower that would heat the water itself.
To be honest, this isn't very Green at all. Electricity is a very dirty energy source in this country atm.

But in order to cut down on oil costs (as it'll be used for heating), I'd like to run the rest of the house hot water off of solar.
You would be better off getting a new shower and running this of solar too, and any thing you can.

I'm just wondering is this worth doing, what kinda costs would I be looking at and would I have any restrictions when it comes to putting up panels on my roof (either inset or onto of the slates).
There are grants available for solar panels, amount is related to the sq.m area. In terms of restrictions there shouldn't be any. The CoCo should let you put them up where ever you ant, and probably dont have a say in it anymore. Do you know what direction the house wil face

The solar heated water would be used for general use, washing, baths from time to time etc, nothing major as we'd have the shower.
Any thoughts?

*Edited out, my bad

Cabaal

ircoha wrote:

as the answers depend on what stage it is at, if u can get the house modded at the build stage, all the better./QUOTE]

its not even build yet, I'm not sure how much modification the builder will allow before hand

Cabaal

Mellor wrote:

The solar heated water should be used only for hot water supply, not for heating the house, for a number of reasons.

1. The panel won't provided enough energy to heat the whole house.
2. The electric shower comsumes alot of energy as it is. Replacing all or most of this energy is far better than a tiny amount of oil imo.
3. The energy gained from the solar panels will peak in summer and be the least in winter. This means that the system is unsuited to provide house heating as you have the most heat when not needed, and when you need it most you have none. You will end up using the oil in the winter anyway.

Mellor, not sure if you read my post correctly
Normally water would be headed by oil as part of the home eating system, however I'm looking to continue heating the house using oil but to heat the water solely by solar

Mellor

Sorry, when you said rest of the house, I thought you meant heating,
but infact you meant the hot water in the rest of the house.

I'd still reccommend some of the thing i mentioned, the electric shower for one. I know its instsnt hot water, but it uses an incrdible amount of power. So much that a house with a standard supply can't have two on at once.

there are charts available online i think that show how much hotwater you can expect to get from solar panels, based on direction, pitch and area.

10-10-20

Don't forget that many new housing schemes have 3/4 story apartments as part of the skyscape, therefore negating the chances of you seeing the sun at all!

Check your available sun power here:
http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/codes_algs/PVWATTS/
Run version 1 of the calculator.

Cabaal

10-10-20 wrote:

Don't forget that many new housing schemes have 3/4 story apartments as part of the skyscape, therefore negating the chances of you seeing the sun at all!

Check your available sun power here:
http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/codes_algs/PVWATTS/
Run version 1 of the calculator.

not a problem for where I'm looking at, all two story houses in a big open area

Mellor

do you know which way the house/roof will face?