Install Solar Hot Water

How to do it now!

There are three elements involved in installing a solar hot water system in Australia. These are:

1. Finding the right solar hot water or heat pump system supplier/installer.
2. Selecting the right solar hot water or heater pump system for your household.
3. Applying for (and receiving) government rebates.

1. Finding the right solar hot water or heat pump system supplier/installer.

• Will the supplier/installer facilitate the complete process (tank selection, install, rebates)? Their level of experience and the advice that they can offer can be the decisive factor in choosing the right solar hot water or heat pump system.
• What experience does the company have installing solar hot water or heat pump systems similar to yours? If you have a special need (eg: pool heating) ensure they have done such installations before.
• What warranty on the installation of the system does the supplier/installer provide? Ensure the supplier/installer will guarantee the quality of their installation.
• Ensure competing bids are in the same format. By ensuring that all of the bids you receive are made on the same basis, you'll be able to compare the bids easily.
• Get itemised quotes. This will allow you to evaluate the costs of labour, materials and so on.

2. Selecting the right solar hot water or heat pump system for your household.

• Ensure the solar hot water or heat pump system is the right size for your household. It is critical to choose a system with enough capacity. This will ensure you have sufficient free hot water when the system is operational.
  

  Capacity (litres) No# of people in household 150-220 1-2 220-300 3-4 300+ 5+

• Decide between a split system, a close-coupled (tank-on-roof system or Thermosiphon) system or a heat-pump system. Solar hot water systems can store the heated water either on the roof or in a tank beside the house (like a traditional hot water system). The close-coupled system has fewer moving parts. However, this system may require the roof to be reinforced to bear the additional weight. The split system places the ugly tank out of sight, is generally easier to install and often attracts higher rebates. The split system is also slightly more efficient and, overall, tends to be the cheaper option. Heat pumps use mechanical processes to extract heat from the air and store the heat in water. Heat pumps are powered by electricity yet achieve far greater efficiency in heating water than traditional gas or electric hot water systems.

  For more information on choosing a solar hot water system, check out the technical manual provided on the Australian Governments Your Home website.

• What is the warranty on the system? A warranty of ten years on the tank and collectors, and five or more on the parts and labour is advisable.
• What maintenance services are available for the system?
• How efficiently does the system convert sunlight into heated water? All accredited systems are tested for efficiency and compared to a standard electric hot water system. The more energy displaced, the more RECs are assigned to it. Therefore, the more Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) a system has, the more efficient it is (1 REC = 1 MWH of displaced energy over a ten year period). Evacuated-tubes can be more efficient in some circumstances (eg: a European winter) but their total collection area is far less than a flat plate collector. Check with your supplier to ensure you get the most efficient and effective system to meet your needs.
• What is the cost of the system fully installed? The true cost of your solar hot water system can be calculated by subtracting from the installed cost of the system the rebates or RECs you are eligible to receive.

Some solar hot water providers in Australia include:

Company (web) Phone Split / Thermosiphon (on roof) / Heat pump Evacuated tube or flat panel Hills Solar 1300 363 386 Split Evacuated tube Solco 1800 060 747 Split & Thermosiphon Flat panel Solahart 1300 721 984 Split & Thermosiphon Flat panel Rinnai 1300 555 545 Split, Thermosiphon, Heat Pump Flat panel Rheem 132 552 Split, Thermosiphon, Heat Pump Flat panel Solar Lord 1300 133 782 Split Evacuated tube Endless Solar 02 9281 5526 Split Evacuated tube Edwards 132 949 Split, Thermosiphon, Heat Pump Flat panel Dux 1300 365 116 Split Flat panel Chromagen 1300 36 75 65 Split, Thermosiphon Flat panel Aquamax 1800 676 000 Split Flat panel Apricus 1300 APRICUS Split Evacuated tube Natural Solar 02 9737 8810 Split Flat panel EcoSmart 133 326 Split, Heat Pump Flat panel

3. Applying for (and receiving) government rebates

Households across Australia that replace an existing electric storage hot water system may be eligible for rebates of $1,000 for a solar hot water system or $600 for a heat pump hot water system under the Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme.

For more details visit the Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website.

Check out our rebates and assistance for more information on both federal and state government rebates.

Why this action is important?

In order for humans to live sustainably we must harness renewable, local and abundant energy sources such as sunlight. This action cuts a third of the energy use from the average house with a cost-effective investment in sound technology and generates long term returns (financial, environmental and intergenerational).