We're thinking about solar hot water because for our climate the heat pump, which otherwise seemed very appealing, doesn't sound too reliable.
Speaking of our climate, we get below zero in winter and almost 40 in summer which apparently tests out the limitations of various solar systems, and to complicate things further we have a north facing roof, who would have thought THAT would be a problem! So this is what we have learned so far...
First of all because of our cold winters the glycol circulating system is better than the one that heats the water directly.
But apparently in summer because we have a perfect north facing roof the system suitable for temperate climates would be better than the system suitable for cold climates.
It seems we have to choose the best compromise to avoid freezing the system to breaking point in winter and boiling it causing excessive water overflow wastage and possible damage in summer. So that's the temperate climate version of the glycol system.
And then there's the choice between putting the tank on the roof for maximum efficiency or putting it on the ground which has some aesthetic and practical benefits. (Connects to same point going into house so much simpler? Less stuff on roof, less weight on roof. But less efficient due to distance. What else...) And then that also somewhat influences the aforementioned factors too (Distance so less efficient so better for a north facing roof, what else...).
Really appreciate any comments. We have to replace the current electric HWS soonish!