Aptech Africa recently completed a residential installation of three solar water heaters in Mbarara, in Western Uganda. Each of these systems were 160L and were used to provide hot water to around 20 people.

Aptech Africa uses Soleil Power solar water heaters. These water heaters are unique because they have a flat plat collector: (type of collector we use to convert sunshine to heat). This type of collector is better than the ’evacuated tube collectors’ which are commonly used in Europe. Evacuated tube collectors need a smaller amount of sunshine to heat water and can burst or be damaged when used in hot climates. Flat plat collectors are designed for hotter climates and can withstand high temperatures (40 degrees C+) .

In addition, the boilers in the system can work with both solar and electric. This means that the systems can be connected to electricity which can serve as a back-up in case there is not enough sunshine. This is important for apartments or homes that are looking to cut electricity costs. The glass on the top of the flat plate collector is strong and can prevent damage or cracking.

When it comes to having a reliable source of hot water, solar water heaters are a great way to save money on your electric bill.