Press releases

Save energy and money – even at minus 30 degree

Especially in very cold spells the investment in solar thermal systems amortizes quickly. Ideal insulation material, a strong anti-freeze mixture and the optimal alignment of the system ensure that the systems work even when the temperatures are sub-zero.

"Many consumers are not aware that a solar system supplies hot water for heating even in winter and in extreme cold," says Robin M. Welling, Managing Director of TiSUN Inc. "High quality plants even provide energy at temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees."
‘On a mountain in Austria at 2,300 metres above sea level a TiSUN solar system for domestic hot water use and heating was installed in 2010. Another system was implemented in Rovaniemi in Finland close to the arctic cicle where the temperatures are on an average of minus 15 degrees in the winter months . "A weather-resistant construction provides high insulation values ​​and thus low heat losses. Those attributes make solar systems a reliable energy source in snowy areas”, said Robin Welling.
The quality of the plant.9s especially important. “The ‘Solar Keymark' certificate requires a certain strength of glass and high pressure resistance’, explains Welling. ‘Six men can stand on a TiSUN collector without shattering the glass.’ This weight is higher than the usual snow load. The European standard provides a working pressure of 1,000 Pa, which is about 100 kg snow per square metre on a collector. ‘Our solar collectors can support up to 300 kg of snow per square metre.’ A rapid slippage of the snow is still important to clear the collector. In a high quality product, the frame does not pose an obstacle to the sliding of snow.
"Of course the solar radiation is less in winter than in summer, and the ambient temperature also has an effect. If the collector is mounted at the ideal angle - about 40 degrees - on or in the roof, the energy gain in winter is still considerable.’ Solar thermal systems not only use direct solar radiation but also the diffuse radiation reflected from the clouds. Even on very cloudy days, the collectors will absorb at least 25 percent of the radiation absorbed on a sunny day. In addition, the solar storage tank collects hot water in the store and releases it at night or on cloudy days. ‘Especially in very cold and snowy regions, the use of solar stratified tanks makes sense. Due to the special principle of stratification, even short sunny periods can generate energy used for hot water, heating or underfloor heating, "adds Welling. Solarsystems do need a strong antifreeze protection. The TiSUN antifreeze even works at temperatures of minus 30 degrees.
The current prolonged winter weather in Europe has resulted in shortages of fossil fuels and sharp price increases of oil, gas and electricity due to high demand. The oil price is at its highest level since 2008. Welling said: ‘Solar systems provide year-round eco-friendly and free solar energy - independent of fossil energy sources. We have to put more focus on convincing the world of the best of all resources, the sun. "
Welling, who is also President of ESTIF (European Solar Thermal Industry Federation), says that at a political level there should be greater focus on promoting and supporting thermal energy. ‘Unfortunately, solar thermal energy is often underestimated in the political agenda. However, it is a fact that fossil fuels and electricity are inefficient and expensive ways of heating, as many consumers across Europe are realizing. Saving energy means saving money – even at minus 30 degrees.’

TiSUN has been developing, producing and selling complete systems for the utilisation of solar heating energy for over two decades. The solar systems provide 100% independent, infinitely available, free solar energy for backup heating, water heating, process heat and cooling. Known as Europe's solar heating specialist, TiSUN has an export quota of 83%. The company employs a workforce of 120 at the main location in Tyrol/Austria and 90 sales personnel in Europe. TiSUN products are available in 44 markets in the EU27 and candidate countries, Switzerland, the former CIS states, the USA, MENA and India. All serially produced solar collectors feature multiple certifications. In addition to the Solar Keymark, which is valid across Europe, and the Austria Solar Seal of Quality, quality certifications from five other countries confirm the high standard of the products. The ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Test Certificate verifies that both product and service quality levels are especially high. Since 2010, the company has also been certified under the international environmental management standard ISO 140001.