Solar thermal

Solar energy can be used and sensibly complement another heating system. The potential for solar thermal energy is very large in Switzerland. Solar thermal energy provides hot water in buildings. The central element of a solar collector is the absorber - a black metal body with channels running through it. Water, which has been enriched with environmentally friendly antifreeze, usually circulates through it. It absorbs solar heat and transfers it to the hot water tank via a heat exchanger. If a solar thermal system is to operate economically, it is designed to provide only a portion of the hot water throughout the year. So during long periods of bad weather and in winter, an additional heat generator is needed to heat the water in the storage tank. Solar energy can also be used with a photovoltaic system to produce electricity and supplement a heat pump, for example.