Each day, the warmth of the sun bathes the earth in free energy, yet many people fail to realise the benefits and install the necessary appliances for capturing this free form of heating. Yet few systems can take advantage of that source for both heating and cooling. Solar heating is big business in Turkey, and with over 300 days of sunshine a year it is easy to see why so many residential buildings have some form of solar heating on the roof and it doesn’t matter how old the property is. The reason for this energy conscious behaviour is the lack of natural gas in some areas and the perceived expense of electricity compared to something as low cost as solar energy and in Turkey, where the sun shines for most of the year, it’s a very cost effective option.
Hot Water on Tap
South and Western Turkey are particularly well suited to develop large scale solar electric generating plants to supply the whole of the country with solar energy. Many Turkish houses don’t even have fancy, slim solar panels to capture the suns energy; lots just have one or two crude metal drums of water on top of a large black rectangle. The heating method is simple; pipes run through the rectangle and the water runs through them, when the taps below are turned on the water is hot. Of course, solar heating has become much more sophisticated since the installation of these early Turkish methods with slim line solar panels being de rigueur today.
What is Solar Heating?
Solar heating refers to the practice of using energy from the sun to make energy to heat water or to heat an area. There are two types of solar heating; active solar heating where pumps are used to carry either air or liquid from the solar collector into the building or storage area –this is pretty much the method used in older Turkish houses described above. The other method is known as passive solar heating and this method doesn’t need any electrical or power-driven apparatus. This method relies on a particular blueprint and structure within the intrinsic design of a property, which collects, stores and distributes heat all over the building. Thus a typical solar heating system consists of slim solar panels, located outside in an area where there is a high degree of light throughout the day. The panels contain heat transfer fluid, which is pumped through the panels and carries the heat energy collected from the sunlight to wherever it is directed inside the property e.g. to radiators or water tanks.
Cost Efficiency
Studies show that a solar water and heating system will pay for itself within two years of installation and when compared with electrical energy the per litre production of solar hot water is around 57% cheaper. Solar heating is increasing in popularity all over the world; installation costs have come down tremendously whereas the cost of fossil fuels have risen. Apart from the cost savings from solar heating systems there are also massive benefits to the environment and many countries offer tax credits for those households installing solar power systems.
Heating Your Pool
One particularly effective way of using solar heating is to use solar heating to heat the water in your swimming pool. This method of heating is by far one of the most cost efficient uses of solar heating. It is simple to install because you will already have a pump and filter as part of the pool system. All that happens with a solar heating system the swimming pool water is pumped through the filter and into a solar energy collector instead of straight back into the pool. The sun heats the water in the collector and then returns it to the pool. You may have to install a larger pump or a separate one to work the solar heating system. Pool heaters raise the water temperature to about 80 degrees Fahrenheit because the water is passed through the solar collectors at a greater speed than that collected for use inside the home, which is heated to temperatures of around 140 degrees.
Get Smart, Go Solar
The first thought when thinking about solar heating for your Turkish villa may be ‘why do I need it when there are 300 days of sunshine a year?’ The truth is that no matter what the weather we all want hot water to wash and bathe in and in some parts of the country; temperatures do drop considerably in winter. Therefore by installing solar heating systems into your home you will be saving money in the long run through reduced heating bills. Additionally, using energy wisely means that the fossil fuels will not be depleted at such rapid rates thus ensuring decent reserves for future generations and you will not be contributing towards the greenhouse effect. After all, there is enough solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface capable of providing for the energy needs of the whole planet.
