Promoting responsible pool ownership and providing a heating solution that’s 100 per cent renewable, Supreme Heating has released its revolutionary Heatseeker DualSun hybrid solar-panel system. Camilla Stephenson chats to Peter Alderton, the business development manager for Supreme Heating, about the mechanics of modern solar panels and how the new DualSun system will not only help save the environment, but save you money.
Utilising sustainable sources of energy is the talk of the Australian pool industry. The increasing popularity of solar power reflects how pool owners are eager to embrace renewable energy sources and make responsible choices.
Solar pool heating companies have been facing competition for roof space due to the rising popularity of solar panels that generate power for the home. Supreme Heating has discovered an innovative, game-changing solution that will eradicate the need to install technologies that rely on fossil fuels, such as a heat pump. Queensland Pool + Outdoor Design investigates the benefits of the groundbreaking Heatseeker DualSun, which will not only effectively heat your pool but also provide a reliable source of renewable energy for your home.
How It Works
Traditionally, two separate solar-panel systems have been used for heating the pool and powering the home. Conventional strip systems and rigid panels circulate water through the collector so it absorbs heat before returning to the pool at an optimum temperature.
Solar panels that power the home comprise many connected units called photovoltaic (PV) cells. The PV cells collect solar energy when exposed to sunlight and convert it into direct-current (DC) electricity. This electricity is then converted into alternating-current (AC) power for use in the home. Surplus energy can be fed into a battery storage system for later use.
In traditional designs, the efficiency of standard PV panels decreases as their surface temperature rises. Supreme Heating has found a way to combat this counterintuitive situation in a European design that uses the pool water to cool the PV panels so they can continue producing energy at optimum efficiency, even on the hottest of days.
Tell Me More
By making the most of sunny days, the innovative Heatseeker DualSun system produces up to four times more energy than a standard PV panel. Designed and manufactured in France, DualSun features an internal heat exchanger. Pool water is circulated through the heat exchanger so it absorbs excess heat from the panel before it leaves the system.
“As a result, the water is heated while simultaneously cooling the panel and allowing the PV electrical generation to be maintained at peak performance,” explains Peter Alderton. “[This process] increases PV efficiency by up to 20 per cent.”
The hybrid system not only neutralises the cost of heating your pool in the long run, but can save you thousands of dollars on your energy consumption annually. Additionally, choosing a sustainable system
with which to power your home and heat your pool will significantly help reduce carbon emissions on a broader scale.
Get Involved
To make the Heatseeker DualSun even more attractive, the installation of an 18-panel, five-kilowatt system is usually completed in just one day.
The hybrid system ultimately neutralises the cost of heating your pool …
Developed by experienced European engineers, the ultra-thin design is approved by Australia’s Clean Energy Council. “It is in the best interests of the consumer and the industry that pool owners choose renewable energy in the form of solar,” says Alderton. This is why Supreme Heating will push for the Australian government to certify the DualSun as an ‘energy neutral’ system. The aim is to minimise existing and potential future restrictions on pool use in the summer months, as well as maintain rebates for homeowners who choose to install the sustainable product.
The Future Is Now
With Australia’s infrastructure becoming more selfsufficient and solar energy proving to be the cheapest generator of electricity, the collective shift to solar power is inevitable.
In the next five years, Alderton predicts there will be continual advances in solar-cell technology and energy storage. It’s also likely that new solar applications will be available for homeowners, as well as more efficient, innovative and compact panel designs that will minimise roof coverage. For forward-thinking homeowners, now is the time to integrate renewable forms of energy into all facets of your home, including your swimming pool.
Generating up to four times more energy than a standard PV system, the Heatseeker DualSun is a key player in the move towards self-sufficient power and heating for your swimming pool. Supreme Heating’s revolutionary product will keep Australia’s pool industry flourishing in the long term, and allow you to fully enjoy your swimming pool into the future without the burden of rising energy costs.