# SOLAR THERMAL APPLICATIONS
Solar Hot Water | Solar Heating | Solar Air Conditioning | Solar Refrigeration
 
Solar Hot Water  
Solar hot water is the well known use of solar thermal systems. It is the easiest heat to create in a building. Solar panels are placed on your roof and the deliver heat into your cylinder. The type of panel used (flat or vacuum based) will be important in the amount of heat you get. The SP501 is designed to operate for 12 months of the year. High powered solar vacuum are now even cheaper than low power flat plates, and Surface Power's SP501 solar panels are the most performance certified solar hot water panels in the world. (may 2011) We have several standard options which all work with our proprietary MPPTt technology for maximum production.
 
Solar Heating  
Solar heating is a specialized installation. Only approved Surface Power "Master Installers" are allowed carry out this work and only when we approve the design in "every" case. Surface Power has successfully installed solar heating & hot water systems in poor weather climates and it is one of our specialty areas. These systems can be integrated with radiators or underfloor in existing houses. We recommend that you upgrade the insulation in your home as well. There is no default package in this category. Every home is different.
 
Solar Air Conditioning  

Solar Air Conditioning is the main reason why the SP501 solar thermal collector research program was developed. The SP501 is a low cost high performance solar collector which can create high process heat to run absorption or other chillers to produce cool air or even cool water, even up to 130C.

Surface Power's air con uses a proprietary thermodynamic control algorithm called MPPTt (Maximum Power Point Tracking - thermal). This allows our solar systems to produce constant chiller working temperatures and is a closely guarded secret within the company. A major disadvantage with legacy solar collectors (both vacuum & flat plate) is that they require new low temperature chillers. Surface Power's MPPTt technology means that existing absorption, adsorption & desiccant chillers can stay in place as we can run our solar technology with existing high temperature chillers. This means that there is practically NO disruption to air-con upgrades to HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, NURSING HOMES, FACTORYS, OFFICE BUILDINGS, etc. AND it lowers the cost significantly.

Legacy solar collectors CANNOT work using MPPTt as they were originally designed as batch water heaters and hence their lower heat capabilities.

MPPTt is a patented technology developed by Surface Power which gives high power performance from Solar Thermal.

 
 
Solar Refrigeration  
Solar Refrigeration is a sister application of solar air conditioning. In this application, the system using its MPPTt proprietary technology creates cool water which is pumped into refrigeration systems. Examples are be large supermarkets, warehouses, food distribution, data centres, etc. Its important to note that in a large store application, the same system will provide air con, refrigeration, hot water, etc. if required from the same system.