Who is Ely Beach Solar?

Ely Beach Solar installs commercial solar hot water systems for :

  • Senior Residences
  • Hotels
  • Nursing Homes
  • Hospitals
  • Apartment Buildings
With turnkey development and maintenance, we deliver a state-of-the-art hot water system that will produce savings for years to come.
  • Solar District Heating is now a reality in many parts of Europe Solar District Heating is now a reality in many parts of Europe
  • Solar heating panels are easy to install and provide cost-free solar heat from sunlight! Solar heating panels are easy to install and provide cost-free solar heat from sunlight!
  • Payback is quick and there are many government incentives Payback is quick and there are many government incentives
  • The principle is simple, reliable and proven The principle is simple, reliable and proven
  • Solar hot water preserves the environment Solar hot water preserves the environment
    

How Does Solar Hot Water Work

Flame Solar hot water systems are based on well established technologies that are widely used around the world. The first solar water heaters became popular in the early 1900's. Since then the technology has greatly improved, yet the concept and basic principles still remain the same. The sun shines onto the solar panel (also known as a solar collector) and the heat is absorbed. The heat from the solar collectors is then transferred to the water you use through your existing plumbing or heating system. Essentially, what solar hot water systems do is they offset a large portion of the carbon-based fuels that are used to supply the energy needed to produce heat in your building.

There are two types of solar hot water collectors that are popular today; they are evacuated tube solar collectors and flat plate solar collectors. At Ely Beach Solar, we prefer evacuated tube solar collectors because of their increased efficiency in colder climates and ability to capture sunlight from multiple angles. Evacuated tubes are capable of producing water at 160° F.

How Evacuated Tubes Work

Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors

Evacuated tube solar collectors function according to the same principle as the thermos bottle; the sun's rays enter the tube and the heat remains trapped inside. Cool to the touch on the outside, the inside reaches very high temperatures and the vacuum-sealed tubes prevent heat loss. The heat produced is then transferred to the building's water supply.

The method by which the heat in the solar collectors reaches the building's water supply is relatively simple. The solar collectors gather the sun's energy and conduct the heat that is generated to a "solar fluid." The solar fluid consists mostly of water with some food-grade gycol added to the mix to prevent freezing. This fluid is circulated in a closed loop between the collectors on the roof and the heat storage tank in the basement. Through heat exchangers the heat produced in the solar collectors is transferred to the heat storage tank and in turn, that heat passes to your building's existing plumbing system.

The materials and technology are very well developed, keeping heat loss to a minimum. The system is able to maintain 70-80% efficiency; meaning that 70-80% of the energy collected is delivered to your building's hot water or heating system.