Keep your home warm with solar-powered heating

A home can be heated by solar power in two different ways: either through solar thermal power or through solar photovoltaic panels (PV).

Solar thermal heating systems use ‘solar collectors’ mounted on the roof to gather heat from the sun and transfer it into air-filled pipes. This heated air is then pumped back into the home, and cold air is pumped into the pipes and the process repeats.

Solar photovoltaic systems, on the other hand, use solar panels on the roof to generate electricity directly from the sun. This electricity is then used to power heat pumps, fans, space heaters, oil heaters, or any other heating appliance that already exists in the home.

While both solar thermal and solar photovoltaic have their benefits, solar photovoltaic is especially popular for a few reasons:

• Simplicity. PV solar power works with any existing appliance - no need to add more fans or pipes.
• Broad use. Solar thermal can only be used to heat air while solar PV can be used to power any appliance in the home (e.g. the fridge, the television, the boiler - anything)
• Future-proofing. Solar PV can be easily expanded with extra panels or batteries to account for higher demand.

As a result, more and more Kiwis are choosing to power their home heating through solar photovoltaic as a clean, green and cost-efficient alternative or supplement to main grid power.

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