Solar Air-Space Heating

Solar space heating is one of the uses of solar energy. The others are solar water heating systems, solar PV systems for electricity production and solar cooling systems (a rather irrelevant option at present).

Solar Space heating systems

Unless you intend a very simple solar space heating systems, without sensors or storage and controls, space heating systems are more complicated than water heating ones, and they cost more.

Solar space heating technologies

Most solar space heating systems operate much like solar water-heating systems, but they demand a larger collector surface and larger storage units (except for simpler systems, directly pumping the hot air into the house).

Since many solar space heating systems are hydronic (based on hot-water heating) they also demand heat exchangers, sensors, valves and control boxes.

Approaches

Solar space heating comprises different approaches, two of which hydronic:

-Direct Air-Space Heating;
-Solar powered radiators and boiler systems
-Solar powered radiant floor systems.

Problems with air-space heating systems

Solar air-space heating systems are prone to overheating without proper controls, and they demand the most energy when the sun and climate conditions are more adverse to it - which make their good or reasonable efficiency very dependent on local favorable climates.

Type of collectors used on solar space heating

The type of collectors used with solar space heating varies with climate and mainly with the type of system and its design. Simple flat-plate (often unglazed) collectors are used in direct space heating, mainly in moderate climate applications.

More complex systems use use liquid flat-plate collectors and evacuated-tube collectors.

See: Solar collectors types

Availability

Space heating through solar collectors and complementary hardware isn't a well-developed and autonomous technology. Good installers and solar professionals (linked to solar hot-water heating systems) can easily implement solar space heating systems, but there aren't large manufacturers on a national basis.

Combined hot water and space heating systems

Due to the high investment demanded by less simpler space heating systems, they are usually hybrid, that is, configured to provide both solar water heating and, of course, a part (40-80%) of the space heating needs of the house. That's often the most advantageous solution.

Environmental alternatives to solar space heating

Since solar space heating is a pricey and underdeveloped technology, only applicable on particular climates (see Solar Air Options Solutions), you may want to consider other options. There are dozens of environmentally-friendly strategies you may implement in your home: insulation, qualified windows, passive solar heating, passive solar cooling, etc. etc.