A new and exciting way to provide you with total hot water comfort

New Greenskies Solar Water Heating Products from Worcester Bosch

Worcester Greenskies FK240 Solar Panel
What are the advantages of the Worcester Greenskies FK240 Solar Panels?
Global responsibility for nature and the environment

As part of the Bosch group, Worcester Bosch is committed to environmental protection. Product development is prioritised in the interests of the safety of people, the economical use of resources and environmental sustainability.

With this in mind Worcester Bosch is proud to offer a solar panel package for hot water heating which allows the consumer to take advantage of renewable and sustainable energy.

Worcester Greenskies FK240 Solar Panels harness the power in both direct and diffuse sunlight and convert the energy to heat for the production of hot water for the home.

The solar panels have been designed as a complement to existing heating systems which use a store of hot water in a cylinder. The existing cylinder is exchanged for a cylinder with two heat exchanger coils; one from the boiler in the property and a second from the solar panels.

The Worcester Greenskies FK240 Solar Panels are an ideal partner to the new range of condensing Greenstar regular and system boilers, with different models available in both oil and gas, which require a separate cylinder for the storage of hot water. When used together a Greenstar boiler with solar system provides a highly efficient system to give heating and hot water comfort.

A typical well sized solar system should provide around 50% of the domestic hot water requirements of a home, representing a very worthwhile saving on hot water heating costs. The remaining hot water requirement is provided by the boiler.



Greekskies FK240 Solar Panels - Up Close

   

Key to components

  1. Highly transparent, hardened solar glass
  2. Selective coated copper absorber
  3. Heat transfer tubes
  4. Main collector pipe
  5. Surrounding tray – UV resistant 2-layer plastic
  6. Glass fibre frame
  7. Pipework connections
  8. Temperature-measurement point (Thermostat Pocket)

Frequently asked questions
  Is there any Government funding available?

  The Department of Trade and Industry is funding an initiative called Clearskies with which entitles home owners and not-for-profit organisations to financial help with a solar system. Householders can apply for a grant of £400 regardless of system size. Worcester Greenskies FK240 Solar panels qualify for this financial assistance when installed by a Clearskies registered installer.

 What is sustainable energy?

  Sustainable energy is best thought of as energy which can be replenished within a human lifetime and which causes no long-term damage to the environment. Solar energy, wind energy, and geothermal energy, amongst others, are all self-sustaining. They all have sources that cannot be depleted. Extended use of these energy sources aids the conservation of other non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels.

 How does Solar technology work?

  The idea behind technologies which use solar energy is to harness the freely available rays from the sun in a useful form. The technology used for solar water heating is simple and effective. The basic principle uses an absorber plate which is heated by the suns rays. This heat is collected in a transfer liquid which is in turn used in a heat exchanger to heat water.

 What if there is no sun or it is a cloudy day?

  Special coatings are available on the absorber plates which allow the collector to absorb energy from diffuse as well as direct sunlight. This means the panel can still yield results on day when there are clouds in the sky.

 Do I need to have a particular type of roof for Solar installation?

  In the UK the best orientation for solar panels is facing due south and tilted at around 35 degrees from the horizontal. The gains available will reduce as the orientation moves away from due south. A variety of brackets and frames are available for solar systems to suit different types roof types (pitched and flat) and different types of roof tiles.

 Do I still need a boiler?

  Solar heating on a normal domestic scale in the UK will provide around 50% of the average annual household hot water requirements. Although the system may provide most of the hot water required in summer the winter results, due to the lower intensity of the sun and the shorter daylight hours, will be reduced. As such the householder will need a boiler (or suitable alternative) to make up the difference in domestic hot water requirement and for the central heating of the house.

 Do I have to pay VAT for installing Solar panels?

  The VAT on solar systems varies depending on who is installing it. DIY solar systems carry 17.5% VAT. A system which is installed by a professional installer carries 5% VAT.