WrightSolar Ltd developed a cheap and elegant system made from recycled plastic

Capturing the sun’s warmth for central heating and hot water could reduce energy bills and cut carbon emissions, but traditional solar panels are expensive, heavy and prone to overheating. To unlock the potential for renewable energy generation, WrightSolar has developed a lightweight panel and a water-management system that will efficiently heat water even in the British climate. WrightSolar panels are to be made from 50% recycled plastic, and will be robust and durable.

Director Alan Wright, who has 30 years experience in the water and building industries, has achieved a complete redesign away from current solar water-heating systems to increase efficiency and make solar-thermal heating affordable.

Alan says, “We took a fresh look at an old problem so we could develop a light, durable and low-cost solar hot-water system. The technology is to undergo independent testing by the University of Hertfordshire, and the panels on my roof have ensured that my boiler has only been turned on for 30 minutes since April!

“I am really pleased with how effectively the system is producing hot water. Over the summer the system can provide almost all of a household’s hot water and over the winter it can reduce heating bills. Anyone who is sceptical about the technology is instantly converted when they see it working in our house.”

One of the problems of traditional UK systems is that the number of panels has to be limited to prevent overheating. In contrast, the temperature regulation in the WrightSolar design removes this danger, so there is no limit to the number of panels that can be linked up. Along with the reduced cost, this makes it possible to install enough panels to meet hot-water needs over the summer and make a worthwhile contribution to central heating in the winter.

The panels can also be used at ground level in place of garden fences to increase the volume of water they can heat, which makes it viable to have enough panels to heat a swimming pool, or to add more water into the central-heating system in winter.

Installation of the WrightSolar system is simple and fast. Panels can be retrofitted over existing roof tiles (traditional solar panels weigh from 35 to 65 Kg, whereas WrightSolar panels start from just 7kg). WrightSolar’s system can use an existing single-coil boiler and will work without replacing the heating system.

Existing solar-thermal systems have become complex and difficult to install. The new design offers an elegant solution, which avoids overheating and pressure build-up, and does not require heat exchangers. In the summer the panels provide hot water, and in the winter they can contribute to the central heating.