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solar

Solar power is the conversion of renewable energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), indirectly using concentrated solar power, or a combination. Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and solar tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electric current using the photovoltaic effect.Photovoltaics were initially solely used as a source of electricity for small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell to remote homes powered by an off-grid rooftop PV system. Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s. Since then, as the cost of solar electricity has fallen, grid-connected solar PV systems have grown more or less exponentially. Millions of installations and gigawatt-scale photovoltaic power stations have been and are being built. Solar PV has rapidly become an inexpensive, low-carbon technology.
The International Energy Agency said in 2021 that under its "Net Zero by 2050" scenario solar power would contribute about 20% of worldwide energy consumption, and solar would be the world's largest source of electricity. China has the most solar installations. In 2020, solar power generated 3.5% of the world's electricity, compared to under 3% the previous year. In 2020 the unsubsidised levelised cost of electricity for utility-scale solar power was around $36/MWh, and installation cost about a dollar per DC watt.

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  1. T

    Unused solar Thermal Thermal

    Morning, Does anybody know what happens to a solar thermal flat panels (a pair on south facing slate roof) that have been unused for at least 12 months possibly year before also. System has been switched of due to loss of pressure. How will last years heat wave conditions have effected the panel...
  2. P

    Unvented Cylinder Single coil heat pump vs twin coil solar

    Hi, I'm looking to purchase a 300L unvented indirect cylinder to work with a standard heat only boiler. I may have solar panels in the future, but likely the PV kind rather than the thermal kind, and won't be having heat pump in the future. So the cylinder would be connected to the boiler at...
  3. chris020

    Hot water cylinder circulator

    After some advice, i have recently had solar panels fitted and have an Eddi which uses the energy we generate to heat the cylinder using the immersion heater. Just wondering if there are any devices that can circulate the hot water in the cylinder so the immersion heater heats all the water...
  4. B

    Solar Thermal Fluid Leak

    Hello My solar thermal system appears to be leaking fluid (pics attached). Could anyone give me an indication of what the issue is likely to be and the potential cost to rectify? The system was installed in May 2021 and has a flat plate panel on the roof. It works very well generally and...
  5. 1

    Solar thermal flow meter blocked

    Hi, Solar thermal not so big these days but a couple of Q for anyone who still works in it. Background. I'm an Electrician not a plumber.. I've been maintaining my otherwise excellent solar thermal (Original install MCS by Others), for the last ~ 18 years, over which time I've needed to clean...
  6. D

    Dry run protection for DC Solar Pump sourcing water from a borehole

    We are installing solar power irrigation systems for smallholding farmers in Rural Ghana, We have 12V DC 0.18kW (max 20A) pumps, there only power source will be a voltage varying from 15-20V coming from solar panels. The boreholes are narrow, therefore is not much room for a float switch, The...
  7. B

    Dry run protection for DC Solar Pump sourcing water from a borehole

    We are installing solar power irrigation systems for smallholding farmers in Rural Ghana, We have 12V DC 0.18kW (max 20A) pumps, there only power source will be a voltage varying from 15-20V coming from solar panels. The boreholes are narrow, therefore is not much room for a float switch...
  8. plumb_know

    Decommissioning cylinder coil on wet solar system

    Hello Everyone, I have customer with solar that doesn't seem to be working so only gets 1/2 a tank of hot water which is heated by the central heating system. She can't find a company to come out and service the wet solar system and she is looking at getting loft conversion in the future will...
  9. S

    Tank leaking & heating losing pressure - solar water heater

    Hi, We have solar panels for our hot water, so we have the main water tank in the airing cupboard, plus a small pressurised (I think) tank. The smaller one has been leaking for several years leaving rusty water on the outside & on towels in the cupboard. The system also keeps losing pressure...
  10. D

    Solar thermal system labour and parts pricing

    As I recently had my HW cylinder replaced and we had to leave disconnected the solar thermal system from the HW cylinder and drained out the old glycol. What is involved in re-filling the thermal system with new glycol in terms of number of hours of labour and materials? I got a quote for a bit...
  11. yngndrw

    Idea: Add-on solar diverter hybrid

    Hello all, I should start off by stating that I'm not in the industry - I'm just a DIYer with a "what-if" idea. Hybrid systems and solar diverters are nothing new, but as far as I can see the current hybrid systems all require a change of boiler and I'm going to propose a system which could use...
  12. J

    Adding solar thermal to existing bosch combi idea.

    Hello, So I want to add a solar thermal system to my existing Worcester bosch greenstar but don't want to lose the functional benefits of the combi boiler. I'm proposing to install the solar collector on the side of the house in a position that will enable gravity flow to a 200litre tank just...
  13. B

    Solar divert & SysteMate 2000

    I have moved into a property with a Gledhill SysteMate 2000 and not much clue as to how it operates! I am also considering installing solar panels at my property and investigating if I can use the generated electricity to heat the water in the thermal store. I have found the myenergi Eddi...
  14. K

    Werback solar connections

    Hi . I am a DIY trying to reconnect my wetback and solar hot water panels I have had a horizontal outdoor water cylinder made up . Most of the connections are straightforward but I am not sure about the vent at the top . On the old one there was a 2 meter vertical open pipe but I am not sure...
  15. J

    AUS Approx price for tempering valve install for solar hotwater

    Just wanting advice on the average cost of installing a tempering valve on a solar hot water system located on the roof of single storey home. Ive been charged $445 inc gst, no extra parts needed and took plumber less than 30 minutes to install, it seems a bit steep Any advice appreciated
  16. J

    AUS Approx price for replacing tempering valve on solar hotwater

    Just wanting advice on the average cost of installing a tempering valve on a solar hot water system located on the roof of single storey home. Ive been charged $445 inc gst, no extra parts needed and took plumber less than 30 minutes to install, it seems a bit steep Any advice appreciated
  17. TeddySam154

    Only getting hot water from bath tap no where else.

    I have what seems to be a unusual problem and hope can get some advice. I have a bathroom up Stairs, and a wet room down stairs with toilet and sink, plus sink in kitchen. We have a solar hot water system and gas boiler, it's the type where water goes up to loft through solar panel where it is...
  18. S

    Heating hot water only after solar thermal install.

    I had solar thermal installed recently, the system is a viessmann and goes with our viessmann boiler. The controls are on the boiler, seems to work well. I spoke to viessmann technical after the install and they and the install advised to change the water heating from the boiler to only come on...
  19. S

    LG monobloc and solar panels losing half tank

    I have a head height problem for the storage tank and needed a solution that would allow the monobloc to heat from the bottom of the tank I have now sorted the issue with 2 tanks in series, both single coil The smaller one has solar heating and this then provides cold, warm or hot water to the...
  20. bikerchris

    Are evacuated tubes / solar pipes worth it for heating an outbuilding? (UK)

    Hello all, I hope you can help, I don't know any plumbers and just wondered about an idea of mine, it might not be do able for good reason! I built a 6 x 3m outbuilding a few months ago for myself in the garden, me and wife wanted an office to work in when needed, mainly her (labourer). This...
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