Are heating mats on the roof worth it?

Dusseldorf Heating with solar energy continues to gain in popularity in light of the energy crisis. In 2021, there were around 2.5 million systems for generating energy from solar thermal energy in Germany, according to figures from the German Solar Industry Association. In 2021 another 81,000 systems were added. In search of alternatives to natural gas from Russia, consumers are increasingly turning to alternative energy sources.

When is solar thermal worthwhile? What are the advantages and disadvantages? What subsidies are there and how high are they? The most important questions and answers at a glance.

Solar thermal: what is it?

Solar thermal systems convert solar energy into heat. They are mostly used for heating or for heating drinking water. The sun’s rays heat collectors on the roof and the solar fluid they contain. This circulates between the collectors and a buffer tank filled with water, which absorbs the heat from the solar fluid and adds it to the heating water circuit at a later time.