With ever increasing fuel costs, whether it be gas or electric, renewable energy is being put back at the top of the priority list when reviewing heating and hot water requirements. However, the challenge for home owners is to harness the ‘low cost’ energy being created, store it effectively and then deliver it as and when required.

So, as we see an increase in demand for systems such as solar panels, heat pumps and solid fuel stoves, the secret is to create a highly efficient solution which stores energy when it can be generated, and utilised when it is needed!

That solution is already here with a Thermal Store system, which stores energy from multiple fuel sources for use when it is required. An additional benefit the thermal store can offer is that it can hold the water at higher temperatures than a standard cylinder, up to 90 degrees. The increased temperature of the store means the energy storage is increased by up to 150% compared to a cylinder held at 60 degrees.

Unlike traditional solutions such as unvented cylinders, which draw off the hot water stored in the cylinder, thermal stores use innovative heat exchanger technology which allows mains pressure cold water to be instantaneously heated from the stored water and then supplied to your taps and showers.

A significant additional benefit is that your heating can also be taken from the Thermal Store, maximising the benefit from the renewable technologies even further.

Advantages for Renewable Energy Applications.

The highly efficient storage solution enables energy storage during the day when renewables are optimised, allowing hot water and heating to be delivered at night as required, for example, solar energy generated during the day can be stored and used to meet the hot water and heating demand in the evening.

Thermal stores can also enable energy demand to be met by renewable energy throughout the year by incorporating multiple sources and managing them seamlessly. For example, solar thermal can be harnessed during the summer months and wood burning stoves can provide the heat in the winter periods.

Traditional heat sources such as electric immersion heaters and gas boilers can also be incorporated to top up the thermal store as and when required.

Advantages for Heating & Plumbing Professionals

Being an open vented solution, a thermal store doesn’t require the installer to be G3 accredited, unlike with an unvented cylinder installation. It also simplifies the installation significantly as it does not require discharge pipework and safety controls which can cause major challenges for the design and installation of the system, not to mention costs.

And, as it’s open vented, the thermal store can also be located anywhere in the property, as long as the header tank is above the highest radiator.

The risk of legionella is completely eliminated due to the fact that the hot water isn’t stored in the cylinder but fed from the mains through the coil and scalding is prevented thanks to temperature control valves at the hot water outlets.

And as the thermal store requires no annual maintenance, you are unlikely to experience any call backs due to a faulty or underperforming system.

Finally, thermal stores are crucial in the shift to renewable and sustainable energy sources. They provide a dependable and inexpensive way to lessen our reliance on fossil fuels due to their capacity to store surplus energy and transfer heat when it is required. Consider a thermal storage cylinder as an alternative when looking into sustainable energy options for your house or building.

Maximising ROI With Stratification

The secret to maximising the return on investment from using a thermal store is to design the system to encourage stratification and preserve usable heat in the store for the longest possible period.

By deliberately creating layers of heat in the tank and having connections positioned at the optimum point of the cylinder, we can create a highly efficient system. For example, solar thermal inputs should be designed to enter at the bottom of the store to maximise heat in the store.

Similarly, the hottest layer of water in the cylinder will naturally be at the top of the tank and therefore the hot water connections should be positioned accordingly. The connections for the underfloor heating, which works at a lower temperature, should be positioned to take heat from the lower part of the cylinder where the temperature is likely to be lower.

For more information and more tips on using thermal stores with renewable energy visit https://mcdonaldwaterstorage.com/products/thermal-store/.