Technology
Do Solar Energy systems work in Ireland and the UK?
The simple answer to this is YES! Recorded data show clearly that the levels of solar radiation available in Ireland and the UK matches a large part of mainland Europe. Germany and Austria combined (whose solar gain is almost identical to that of Ireland and the UK) account for over 50% of the solar thermal market in Europe.
Lir-Solar collectors are designed to take advantage of both direct solar radiation and diffused radiation therefore optimising the maximum solar energy available at your location.
The design of the collector field will incorporate either flat plate collectors or evacuated tubes depending on the temperature demands involved and the location of the collector field. Each case is assessed and designed on an individual basis to ensure that the system installed makes best use of your available space and budget.
Lir-Solar Thermal Pod
One of the key strengths behind a Lir-Solar installation is the flexibility of the plant. Our solar collectors use a simple plug and play system which allows for a very straight forward and unobtrusive installation period.
Lir-Solar has developed the unique “Thermal Pod”. This completely self contained unit houses all of the plumbing and control mechanisms for the solar thermal array. The pod itself is designed to fit onto standard road transport and be craned into place in just a few minutes. The supply and return from the solar field is then plugged into a manifold on the delivery side and similar connections are made on the output side into the existing heat system. Once a single 240v supply is connected the installation is ready for commissioning.
This allows the installation of the entire plant room to be tested prior to delivery to site again reducing any inconvenience to the ongoing operations. The size of the plant room will ultimately be determined by the size of the collector field installed. However the configuration of the external dimensions can be adapted to suite the available space on site. Outside the facade is applied to match the existing building whether it is a coloured render, brick, stone or timber cladding. In this way the cabin blends into the existing structure simply and seamlessly. The benefits of the pre-fabrication are numerous. Increased quality control and the ability to pre-test the installation gives you the assurity of minimal disruption to the everyday running of your business during the installation and commissioning phase.
