Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

I have been in and out of N. Cyprus since 2001 when I purchased my home there ....and have been unaware of solar panels being used as a heating system for a house as opposed to solar panel for water heating. Is anyone aware of systems in use or installed in Kyrenia area and what sort of systems these are - do they simply generate electricity for use with electric heaters etc?

İn general, we differ two types of “solar panels”
- PV solar MODUL (systems) produce electricity and “for what purpose” you use this electricity is up to you. Can be a kettle or instant heater (to heat water), an air-con or a heat pump for heating...
PV solar systems can not be “just installed”, in most of the cases you need a “permission to install and connect (to the grid)”. Advantage: basically simple to install, works for years, proven payback (approx 5- 6 years). PV electricity also can be used to drive pumps, eg, pool pumps, well pumps, booster pumps, charge batteries and so on.
More info in the renewable section.
- Solar (thermal) COLLECTOR (systems) heat up water , usually for DHW, heating systems, pool or in “all in one” combined systems.
For the collectors we differ 1. Flat collectors and 2nd, vaccum (tube) collectors.
The local solar thermal collectors AND systems are of bad quality and efficiency and only can heat up some water for the one or other shower, and very often need the immersion heater to top up . That may be sufficient for many, but usually a waist of money. A good instant heater, gas or elelctricity, may is the better choice.
Since a while, more sophisticated solar thermal collectors (both flat and vaccum) are on the market, but the “system”, as a maybe needed circulation pump,the way of water storage (incl size) and so on, is important and 2nd, the quality is very often unknown.
A typical example: turkish companies offer a DHW heater, using low quality vaccum collectors with a bad insulated water storage tank.
Advantage: a good collector has a higher efficiency as a PV module.
Theoretically. Dont forget: in many times of the year you do not need hot water, or very little. During this time, your solar collector system of whatever kind, stops (these times you have to exclude from your “payback calculations).
But the PV system continues to produce electricity.
- An “undergroup” of solar thermals are the so called “air heaters”, basically solar collectors which heat up air, which can be used to heat up your house “directly” or even to heat water.
Advantage: as for PV systems, you do not need to deal with the “sometimes difficult” medium water (eg, leakages) and in “direct heating” you can achieve an even higher efficiency as “water” solar collectors, because you heat up smaller temperature differences (eg, ambient 15 degrees, needed in house 23 degrees). İt is an undervalued technology.

Kind regards
Kibsolar1999

Thank you for you reply. I am planning on moving out for good to N. Cyprus this year so I will follow this up when I arrive and will re-raise it again with you if thats ok? Thank you very much.

Catlover, as its now approaching 1 year since you had these panels installed, can you give an up to date idea of the savings and costs for normal elec since installing? I am building new and very keen to use Solar panels too.
Many thanks.