I love this time of year - when the days are just so long. Last night it only just got dark at 10:30pm, and yet by 3:30am it was light again (and I know this because our newborn was wide awake...!)
All this sunlight does of course have another practical benefit, and that is the heat it brings with it. And it's no surprise that at this time of year people seriously start looking at Solar hot water systems.
These can range from the very simple coil of black hose left outside (if you want a quick demo of solar power, try it - it gets really hot...), flat-panel systems, right up to the fancy evaccuated tubes that do a great job both summer and winter.
In terms of Carbon saving, solar hot water is a great one to make - but ONLY after you have got rid of all uneccessary consumption first. (Take a look at the ZapCarbon mantra for more on this)
But when you're ready to put one in, a solar system will save you a substantial amount of Carbon. The saving will depend on the how you normally heat your water. If it's gas a typical home can expect to save around 350 kg CO2 each year, while if you normally use average electricity to warm water you're looking at a whopping 800 kg CO2 annually.
Most solar systems require very little maintenance, and will harvest the sun's free energy for years, dumping it straight into your water tank. Evaccuated tube systems work well in making the most of winter sunlight too, and even on a miserable January day can heat water a part of the way to 60'C. Realistically though in British weather, you can expect to get about half of your annual hot water needs from a typical system.
If you've taken all steps to cut uneccessary consumption in the home, now's the time to seriously consider solar hot water. And if you've got a system running, drop us a line on the Blog and let everyone know your experience.