Higher yield per square metre
A collector uses a larger share of the incoming radiation than a photovoltaic panel, because it does not go via electricity.
All energy measures
On-site energy generation
Solar thermal collector
A solar collector heats water with the sun instead of producing electricity. Per square metre of roof it captures more energy than solar panels — but that energy can only be used as heat.
See what this means for your homeThis measure is relevant if
- The home has waterborne heating or a large tank
- Hot water use is high and steady
- The roof faces south and is largely unshaded
- There is room for a buffer tank
What it does to energy use
Heat only
The energy cannot be used for anything but heating and hot water, and cannot be sold back to the grid the way surplus electricity can.
It needs somewhere to store
The sun does not shine when the hot water is used. Without a buffer tank much of the production is lost.
The seasons match poorly
Most production in summer, greatest heat demand in winter. Hot water is therefore the part of the demand that fits best.
Sequence matters
A solar collector belongs with storage and waterborne heating, and comes after them. Without a tank and distribution the heat has nowhere to go. Weigh it against solar panels: if you have controllable electrical loads, panels often give more flexible value.
Enova funding
Solar collectors are among the measures Enova has funded, separated from solar panels in the terms.
Rates and terms change. What you can receive depends on the building, how the work is carried out and which schemes apply at the time. Always check Enova's own pages before relying on a figure.
The rates tell you what you can receive. The calculation tells you what the measure actually does to your home — how much it saves, what it costs, and whether it should come before or after the others.
Which measures pay off in your home?
Enter the address. Gadder collects what is known about the building, calculates the energy demand and ranks the measures by what they actually deliver.