Solar water heaters start from a low market share base in Australia despite the country’s high solar resources and its long-established leadership in solar innovation. Though in some areas, such as the Northern Territory, installed solar water heaters have a significant penetration of over 40 per cent, nationally, solar water heaters account for around 7 per cent of all new hot water system sales.

This has lead to a perception of solar as being a niche product by consumers but also by the plumbing industry. With limited experience in installing what is a more complex water heater, many plumbers will understandably opt to replace ‘like-for-like’ when a customer’s water heater fails.

Solar water heaters are undoubtedly more complex to install than systems solely fuelled by gas or electricity. Any appliance that can capture more than 60 per cent of its annual energy needs from the sun will require extra components. Some extra knowledge and skills are needed to ensure that those components are installed to work to maximum efficiency. Typical problems can relate to the collection of solar energy or the extra controls and valves sometimes required.

Installation of the solar collectors to face true north is important to maximise solar energy collection. Problems can occur in this area of installation, with extreme cases cited in Australia of collectors installed to face south for aesthetic reasons or to more easily suit roof orientations. Some level of theoretical and practical training is essential to ensure that installation maximises potential solar collection, or if this is not possible, that a higher performance system can be specified to compensate for decreased solar gain.

As an ‘uncontrolled’ heat source, the sun cannot be turned on and off like gas or electricity, so some extra protection mechanisms are required to ensure safe and reliable operation. With collectors needing to be in an exposed position (usually a roof) to maximise solar gain, solar water heaters may need to be protected against both extremes – overheating in summer or frost in winter. Protection devices are well established and well tested, but many plumbers may not have had the opportunity to pick up the knowledge and practical skills needed for their effective use. Training is essential to fast track the huge increase in skill capacity that will be needed to match the recent support and regulatory drivers for solar water heaters.

Heat pump water heaters are another form of solar water heater that has gained recent market share in Australia, and where technology advances continue to drive efficiency improvements. While direct solar energy collection is not as critical for this type of water heater, training in system installation and electricity tariffs can maximise the energy efficiency outcomes from these systems.

There is a lot of positive news on solar water heater training. Much work has been done within the plumbing training sector at TAFE level to implement a national training package. This provides an added emphasis to solar water heaters within the water heater training provided to plumbing apprentices.

Organisations such as Green Plumbers®, Enviroplumbers™ and Eco Smart Plumbers have provided valuable training for registered plumbers in a range of sustainable plumbing products including solar water heaters. Their courses have provided a means of educating trained plumbers in new ‘green’ technologies, or even in those well-established products such as solar water heaters that are now making the transition to mainstream. In Victoria, the Plumbing Industry Commission (PIC) has commissioned a project known as Plumbsmarter to get the sustainability message to more of the close to 20,000 registered plumbers within the state.

The Clean Energy Council has recently completed a resource book, training materials and an associated website with funding support from the Australian Greenhouse Office within the Department of Environment and Water Resources. Further assistance was provided by industry members, the PIC, TAFE colleges and the Solar Industries Association New Zealand to compile details of solar water heater theory and system installation. With solar water heaters being installed within TAFE colleges to support the national training package for apprentices, there is an opportunity for training courses to be introduced to provide specialist solar installation skills to registered plumbers. From discussions with the TAFE sector, there is strong interest in training for TAFE plumbing teachers who are meeting the training needs for a more energy and water conscious community.

Solar water heaters are an energy efficient and reliable means for providing hot water in all parts of Australia. They are also one of the most cost-effective means of reducing greenhouse emissions in the residential sector. Correct installation can maximise energy saving and reliability, while poor installations are detrimental to customer satisfaction and the continuing growth of the industry. Training courses are a low cost opportunity for the TAFE sector and industry to ensure that skills are available to maintain that growth.