Solar Thermal Hot Water

Solar panel system fitted to roof

Low Carbon Heating Solutions

Having chosen the right boiler to suit your needs, Alpha has a number of options to help you enhance the efficiency of your heating system even further.

SolarSmart - free renewable energy from the sun

SolarSmart is an award-winning system that provides hot water from a free, clean and sustainable energy source - the sun.

SolarSmart makes solar-based water heating systems more accessible and cost-effective than ever before.

Working with any combination boiler, SolarSmart delivers large volumes of hot water on demand, even when it is overcast.

How do SolarSmart, solar panels work?

SolarSmart Solar Panel Process Diagram

A roof-mounted panel (that is flush with your tiles) collects solar radiation from the sun and uses it to heat water, which is then stored in a 90-litre cylinder. If, when required, the temperature of the water is 60°C or above, the SolarSmart system sends hot water straight to the tap, bypassing the boiler and the need for it to fire up.

If, however the stored water needs boosting to the correct temperature, the unique ‘Solar Valve’ senses this and diverts it via the boiler before being delivered to the tap. As the water is already partially heated, the boiler uses a minimal amount of gas to raise it to the correct temperature.

No Controls Required

SolarSmart operates without any controls, settings or timers and comes with a comprehensive 10-year guarantee on the solar panel and cylinder.