John Beardmore wrote:
In message .com,
writes
John Beardmore wrote:
In message ppk7h.30$JQ.26@trnddc06, SJC writes

Solar thermal panels for space heating is one of the ways we can
save lots of fossil fuels in the future.

I really doubt it !

Whys that?

Because I strongly suspect that there will be cheaper ways to achieve
the same thing,

I'm all ears as to what those are. I've not yet found anything cheaper
or with better payback than solar flat plate speace heating. (with one
possible exception that I dont like)


because the UK doesn't have that many cold but bright
days,

No need, we have enough insolation to make it work and pay its way.
Space heating performs significantly differently to the more well known
dhw because the output temp is much lower, and much more efficient mesh
absorber panels can be used.

because the sun doesn't shine when we need space heating,

the sun shines every day, and there is a simple way to use it to
provide evening heat.

because
passive solar design is more cost effective.

Unfortunately that one is too vague to know what you mean


http://www.builditsolar.com/
&
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...ce_Heating.htm

Yes - and there has been some good work done at one of the Glasgow
universities, and there is a Nu Aire system on sale in the UK that we
have looked at installing for somebody, and the Carbon Trust have waxed
a bit lyrical in some of their training about merging all sorts of
streams of low grade heat to heat space, but all of these things seem to
require a lot of capital cost and super insulated buildings to be
viable,

maybe, but none of that is applicable to the solar space heating I'm
referring to.


and they also require buildings to use, in some cases, whole
walls as solar collectors which again rather begs the question, would
passive solar be cheaper ?

would what passive solar design be cheaper than what? Cheaper to
install, run, or what?


It also raises planning issues, which knowing the UK, may take decades
to resolve.

Perhaps in some circumstances, but not across the board.


NT