Hello, I am looking at getting a solar PV installation (8 x 350W plus 4.6 kWh battery) and wondered how I might best take advantage of it when re-designing the central heating system, with the aim of reducing natural gas usage without spending more money on electricity from the grid.
This is motivated by the fact that without using some of the solar PV generated electricity for water heating, I don't think I will be using enough electricity in our small house to make the installation 'pay'.
I have a 13 year old Worcester Greenstar combi boiler and a set of very nasty old radiators I was planning to replace in the near future, but am looking for some advice on the smartest way to go about this. As I see it, there are a few different options:
1. Fit new gas boiler and radiators, add immersion heater to heat water with surplus solar PV power.
2. Fit electric combi boiler (~12 kW?) for central heating and hot water and replace radiators
3. Replace radiators with electric heaters (e.g. infrared panels), plus electric combi boiler for hot water to taps
4. Replace radiators with electric heaters (e.g. infrared panels), plus gas combi boiler for hot water to taps
Options 2 and 3 place me at risk of paying a lot for electricity from the grid during winter if the panels & battery cannot meet the demand. Option 1 seems best, and I have unused loft space to install a tank, but am not sure if the system would be overkill for our modest 3 bedroom terraced house. I didn't mention a heat pump because I don't think it would be viable aesthetically, or in terms of noise levels, given close proximity to neighbours.
Perhaps better to keep it simple and just replace the gas boiler like-for-like when it conks out, and plan for the surplus solar capacity to charge an electric vehicle at some point in the future?
This is motivated by the fact that without using some of the solar PV generated electricity for water heating, I don't think I will be using enough electricity in our small house to make the installation 'pay'.
I have a 13 year old Worcester Greenstar combi boiler and a set of very nasty old radiators I was planning to replace in the near future, but am looking for some advice on the smartest way to go about this. As I see it, there are a few different options:
1. Fit new gas boiler and radiators, add immersion heater to heat water with surplus solar PV power.
2. Fit electric combi boiler (~12 kW?) for central heating and hot water and replace radiators
3. Replace radiators with electric heaters (e.g. infrared panels), plus electric combi boiler for hot water to taps
4. Replace radiators with electric heaters (e.g. infrared panels), plus gas combi boiler for hot water to taps
Options 2 and 3 place me at risk of paying a lot for electricity from the grid during winter if the panels & battery cannot meet the demand. Option 1 seems best, and I have unused loft space to install a tank, but am not sure if the system would be overkill for our modest 3 bedroom terraced house. I didn't mention a heat pump because I don't think it would be viable aesthetically, or in terms of noise levels, given close proximity to neighbours.
Perhaps better to keep it simple and just replace the gas boiler like-for-like when it conks out, and plan for the surplus solar capacity to charge an electric vehicle at some point in the future?
