Azzuro Solar Information Pack
Thank you for making the enquiry into Azzuro Solar water heating. I hope you find this information helpful, please feel free to contact “The Heating Company” by email or phone to answer any questions you may have.
Azzuro Solar is a revolutionary German solar hot water system designed for maximum efficiency during all weather conditions and temperatures. Azzuro Solar is designed and manufactured by Linuo Paradigma Ltd the world leader in domestic and commercial evacuated tube solar systems.
Help save the environment
An Azzuro Solar system can reduce global warming carbon emissions by 3 tonnes per year.
Save $$$$
Reduce your power bill by up to 40% with Azzuro Solar. Water heating is between 35% - 50% of domestic power usage. Azzuro Solar water heating can save up to 70% of this cost in winter and up to 98% in summer.
Best for New Zealand Climate
Otago University testing has proven the huge solar collecting ability of Azzuro Solar.
Results show Azzuro Solar outperforming a leading brand Flat Plate solar panel sold in New Zealand by 104%. (July 2006)
Azzuro Solar systems use premium grade, Class A evacuated glass tubes with a minimum absorption rate of 95.5%, and maximum emission rate of 5.5%.
A patented reflector mirror behind each tube increases the solar collecting ability by up to 30%. Azzuro’s unique copper loop, direct heat system is the most efficient and fastest way to heat water using solar radiation.
The Heating Company has installed over 150 domestic systems in Dunedin and numerous systems around Otago including Naseby, Patearoa, Palmerston, Karitane and Middlemarch.
*Azzuro Solar evacuated tube solar collectors are used exclusively by The University of Otago and have been installed to the following locations;
Orokanui Eco Santuary Abbey College
Toroa House Clubs and Societies Building
Student Health Building Otago Aquarium
University of Otago Staff Club Zoology Building
Psychology 3 Building Larchview Holiday Park (Naseby)
The Victoria Hotel Caversham School Swimming Pool
Slim, compact and lightweight
Azzuro Solar’s extremely high performance per square metre means a smaller collector on your roof.
No bulky roof tank is required as the system connects to the hot water cylinder in the home.
ü Existing homes (new or existing cylinder), new homes, swimming pools, commercial hot water, motels and accommodation, dairy hot water.
ü Azzuro Solar Systems are German designed and manufactured to the highest standards of quality and reliability.
ü Installations are carried out by trained Azzuro installers and are backed up by a comprehensive guarantee which includes a fifteen year evacuated tube warranty.
About Azzuro Solar
Azzuro Solar NZ Ltd was started in 2003 to distribute premium evacuated tube solar water heating systems developed by the Linuo Paradigma New Energy Co Ltd, a joint venture between the German Paradigma Company and the Linuo Group.
Paradigma’s award winning CPC solar collector has been the largest selling solar collector in Europe for the last 15 years and with the new joint venture distribution is now the worlds leading solar collector.
The German technology and product development over the last 20 years has produced a robust, long lasting and high yielding solar collector suitable for variable climate conditions.
How does it work?
The Azzuro solar heating system has 3 key components a Compound Parabolic Concentrator (C.P.C) Solar Panel, a Hot Water Cylinder (H.W.C.) and a Digital Programmed Solar Station used to control and monitor the system.
The evacuated toughened glass tubes consist of an inner and outer tube with a vacuum in between, much the same as a thermos. Because of the vacuum in the evacuated tubes both the conductive and the convective heat loss is greatly reduced. This results in wind and cold temperatures having very little effect on the efficiency of the system.
On the outside of the inner tube is a selective nitrate coating which absorbs greater than 95.5% of all available solar radiation, including ultra violet and infra red rays. Azzuro Solar uses the highest grade Class A, evacuated, toughened glass tubes which have the best solar absorption ability and the lowest emission rate.
The evacuated tubes are fitted together and lie above the CPC reflector mirror. The CPC reflects the solar radiation back into the tubes, increasing the solar collecting ability by up to 30%.
Each tube contains a loop of water filled copper piping which runs the full length of each tube then loops to the next tube.
The solar radiation collected in the form of heat, directly heats the water filled copper pipes. When the panel gets hotter than the water in the Hot Water Cylinder the pump is activated and the hot water flows from the panel to the HWC.
The tubes are made of extremely tough borosilicate glass and have passed a strength test to withstand hail stones of up to 25mm diameter. However should one break they can be easily and cheaply replaced.
We use a hot water cylinder in the home so there is no obtrusive holding tank and the sleek glass panel lies discreetly on the roof.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does Solar Water Heating work in the South Island?
Yes. The lower part of the South Island is 30% more sunshine hours than Germany where most of the worlds solar systems are installed. New Zealand has 40% more ultra-violet rays than Europe and our skies are much cleaner which all adds up to more available energy for Solar water heating and better performance.
Q. What are Solar Evacuated Tubes?
The solar evacuated tubes are made of toughened borosilicate glass and are used as the absorbing heat element in the solar water heating system. The vacuum between the cover tube and the inner tube eliminates heat loss during cold outdoor conditions. The absorption of the Azzuro Tube is greater than 95.5% of the total light spectrum including New Zealands abundance of Ultra-violet rays. It is one of the most efficient solar absorber elements available and is widely used in solar water heating systems in Europe.
Q. What is the CPC collector?
The CPC collector is the framed assembly with Evacuated Tubes that is installed on the roof of your home (or other exterior location). A patented reflector mirror (Compound Parabolic Concentrator) is located behind each Evacuated Tube and directs light back into the tubes from every angle, greatly increasing the collecting/heating ability of each tube.
A loop of copper pipe runs the full length of each Evacuated Tube and back again, then loops to the next tube. With such a large surface area exposed to the heat collected inside the tubes, the water inside the copper pipes heats up very quickly.
Q. How does the Solar Hot Water System work?
An electronic controller provides a fully automatic and trouble free solar hot water system.
When the water inside the CPC collector becomes hotter than the water inside the hot water cylinder, a small Grunfos 40w pump transfers the water into a heat exchange tube/coil inside the cylinder, which in turn, heats the cylinder water. When the collector temperature reduces the pump turns off.
Q. Can I use my existing Hot Water Cylinder?
Yes, Azzuro Solar can be connected to 90% of existing hot water cylinders.
Higher savings will be achieved by installing an Azzuro Solar cylinder as they are designed to work with the solar system, have less heat loss and generally offer a larger storage capacity.
Q. Will water be heated on a cloudy day?
Yes, depending on cloud density. The evacuated tubes absorb the full spectrum of light, including ultra-violet and infrared rays, so as long as it is daylight there will be solar radiation available. Although the light/energy on a cloudy day is reduced the CPC reflector of the Azzuro system concentrates that energy into heating water. If the cloud cover is very thick and you cannot tell where the sun is located there may not be enough solar radiation to heat water.
Q. Can Azzuro Solar water heating be used in cold conditions?
Yes. The evacuated tubes can be used in the coldest climates and will still heat water with an outdoor temperature of -50 degrees Celsius. (as tested SPF Switzerland)
Q. What about frost/freeze protection?
Azzuro Solar has an inbuilt frost/freeze protection system. The electronic controller senses when the CPC collector temperature is too low and a small amount of water from the cylinder is circulated through the collector.
Q. Can the solar collector sit flat on the roof?
Yes. Most installations do not require pitching brackets and can be direct fixed to the roof purlins. The solar collector is very low profile and compact. Our most common installation comprises of a single collector panel 2.1 metres wide by 1.65 metres high. No bulky roof tank is required.
Q. Can the CPC collector be mounted on a flat or negative pitch roof?
Yes. Pitching brackets are used for roofs that do not offer a northerly aspect. At approximately 18kg for a CPC6 collector to 55kg for a CPC18, the collectors can be mounted on virtually any surface. Pitched roof, flat roof, vertical wall, or veranda mount, the design installations are limitless. Smaller CPC6 or 12 collectors can be connected together on different roof faces to provide the equivalent of a larger collector or a larger collector can be installed to compensate for a west or east facing roof.
Q. What maintenance is required?
None. Under normal circumstances no maintenance to the system or CPC collector is required.
Q. What happens if one of the tubes is broken?
Actually, the tubes are very difficult to break and can resist 25mm hail stones. If a breakage occurs, no water leaks out! The CPC collector will still function and the efficiency of an 18 tube system is only reduced by approximately 1-2%. The tubes are easily replaced and within the first fifteen years are covered by a replacement warranty. New tubes are currently $41.00 each.
Q. Can Azzuro Solar systems provide large scale hot water?
Yes. Solar collectors can be connected in series to provide large scale hot water for any type or size of commercial application. Dairy sheds, accommodation, manufacturing and the food industry can all make huge savings in energy costs by installing Azzuro Solar.
Q. Are Evacuated Tube Collectors more efficient than flat plate collectors?
Yes. Evacuated tube collectors are superior to flat plate collectors in a number of ways.
1. Due to the cylindrical shape of the evacuated tube, combined with the CPC reflector, the sun’s rays enter close to perpendicular to the surface of the glass for most of the day. Flat plate collectors have the disadvantage that the sun is only perpendicular to the collector at noon and most of the day a proportion of the sunlight striking the surface of the collector is reflected away.
2. As the name suggests, air is evacuated from the evacuated tube to form a near vacuum. This greatly reduces conductive and convective heat loss from the interior of the tube. As a result, wind and cold temperatures have minimal effect on the efficiency of the Azzuro evacuated tube collectors.
3. Azzuro Solar evacuated tube collectors can be used in sub-zero temperatures without the system sustaining damage. Flat plate systems often require expensive and complicated anti-freeze systems to be installed.
4. Due to the high efficiency absorbtion of solar radiation even during overcast conditions and cold temperatures, Azzuro Solar evacuated tube systems will heat water all year round.
Q. How long do the Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors last?
The Azzuro Solar water heating system is designed to last for 25 years
Solar Water Heating in New Zealand
The choices we make in how we heat our homes, provide hot water and consume electricity, are now more important than ever. Electricity from the national grid is produced by coal and gas burning generators and from damming our South Island rivers. The burning of wood, coal and gas, releases pollutants into our atmosphere contributing to Global Warming and uses up the same oxygen that we breathe.
It is important that we as New Zealanders realise our own contribution counts.
The decisions that we make influence others, reach far into the future and help shape our country for the next generation.
An increasingly popular renewable energy source is Solar Energy.
Solar radiation is an abundant energy source. Many homes are exposed to 20-30 times more energy from the sun than they use in electricity or gas.
The environmental benefits of choosing solar are significant. If each household had it’s own solar water heater, carbon emissions from electricity generation would be reduced by about 2 million tonnes per year and New Zealands electricity demand would be significantly reduced.
The financial rewards of investing in solar are also substantial. Savings of up to 40% of your total power usage can be achieved with a solar water heating system designed for New Zealand conditions.
Otago University and The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority have concluded that evacuated tube solar water heating systems are best for New Zealand’s cooler and often cloudy climate.
Azzuro Solar is a German solar water heating system designed for a variable climate, from extreme cold and cloudy conditions to hot sunny days.