BlogThermal solar panels

This is why you should use thermal solar panels to support your heating system

Use free energy from the sun and save up to 30 % on heating costs

There are 10.6 million thermal solar systems in operation on Europe’s roofs, which are very popular: Increasing environmental awareness and attractive subsidies for switching from fossil fuels to sustainable heating systems are ideal conditions for investing in a solar thermal system. In this article, you will learn about relevant key points around the topic of heating support with thermal solar panels and which advantages this heating supplement brings with it.

Saving energy starts on the roof

How solar thermal energy works:

Solar systems usually consist of thermal solar collectors, a solar circuit with control and a water storage tank and work according to the following principle: The panels capture solar radiation and transfer the heat via the solar circuit with the help of a heat exchanger to the water in the solar storage or accumulator tank. There, the solar heat is stored until it is needed.

Modernes Einfamililenhaus mit Solaranlage | Hargassner

About the optimal size of the panels
and dimensioning of the storage tank

Solar thermal energy for heating support:
The size matters

To ensure that the new solar thermal system provides the optimum output for your home, the heat demand must first be estimated as accurately as possible. Factors such as the heated living space, number of people in the house and existing insulation must be taken into account.

An average single-family house requires approx. 4–10 m² of panel area for domestic hot water heating. For additional heating support, thermal solar panels of approx. 10 to 20 m² are used. This means that in summer, the drinking or domestic water can be heated only by solar energy without having to turn on the central heating. This is not only easy on the boiler, but also on the wallet.

The solar panels also generate thermal energy in the cooler months, which means that heating support of approx. 10 to 30 % can be achieved. This roughly corresponds to a heating cost saving of between one fifth and one third.

Sonnenuntergang mit Spielgeung auf Solarkollektoren

TIP: These solar panels match optimally to the Hargassner programme of biomass heating systems such as pellet, wood log and wood chip boilers.

The boiler display is used for control, which can also be monitored and evaluated at any time via App & WEB.

However, even the best solar panels can only optimally support the heating system in combination with a suitably dimensioned accumulator tank: Solar systems generate heat during the day, which is usually not needed immediately. To ensure that solar energy is reliably available at those times of the day with the highest heat demand, an optimally dimensioned storage system is essential. A typical detached house requires a storage tank size of 500 and 1500 litres depending on the panel area.

Grafik Darstellung Puffer und Solar | Hargassner

Benefits

Thermal solar system

for heating support

No heating operation necessary in summer
Less maintenance, fewer operating hours and longer service life of the heating system
Solar subsidies reduce acquisition costs and payback time

Coverage of domestic hot water up to 60 %
Cost savings through domestic hot water and heating water treatment
between 10 % and 30 % of the costs
More efficient heat generation through thermal solar compared to photovoltaics

Tip:
Efficient
Combination

Supplement your heating system with thermal solar panels & save heating costs

If a modern biomass heating system, e.g. a wood log boiler, is supplemented with solar panels, not only heating costs are reduced, but heating comfort is also increased enormously – both systems are currently also strongly subsidised.

Discover Hargassner solar panels

A small insight