Can I run a space heater with solar power?

A lot of people who are thinking of installing solar panels do so with the hope that they can take care of all their electricity needs. For many of us, heating our spaces is one of our biggest uses of electricity.

Well, here’s the bad news.

Solar electric power is a TERRIBLE way to heat space or run a space heater.

Here’s why: First you have to turn solar radiation into electrical energy, then store it in batteries. Then you have to take it out of the batteries and turn it into high-drain power to heat an electrical coil to create heat. Every step of this process has inefficies. By the time you add it all up, you would need a huge bank of panels and batteries to provide the kind of power you need to heat your workshop with solar power.

So if that’s what you want to do, think again.

On the other hand, you can definitely use solar power to heat things. But you don’t bother with the step of turning it into electricity.

Solar hot water heaters are among the most efficient and most affordable solar power systems. The paybacks are much faster than with PV panels and batteries.

A solar hot water system consists of collectors on your roof that capture HEAT from the sun, not electricity. The heat is stored in water or some other solution, and is then transferred to water for domestic use. You can shower with it or pump it through your radiators.