Brigitte Tschenett:

I have always been a passionate supporter of renewable energies. As early as the beginning of the 1990s, I built my own solar collectors, which I operated until 2003. After renovating our house into a low-energy home, the collectors would have had to be installed in a casing on the flat roof. The costs and effort involved were no longer proportionate.
When government incentives and a favourable Ethical Banking loan became available, we decided to invest in a new system, fully aware that the remaining capital might only be recovered after 20 years – or perhaps never. Nevertheless, we wanted to make our own contribution to protecting the environment. Independence was also important to us, as solar energy is still freely available.
We also try to contribute to environmental protection through conscious, efficient and economical behaviour in our everyday lives (for example, by using energy-efficient household appliances and lighting, a conservatory, a rainwater collection tank, travelling on foot, using public transport, and much more).
We designed the system for hot water production and to support our heating system during the winter months. Six Schüco collectors, each measuring 2.5 m² and installed at an angle of 60 degrees, are located on the roof. They heat a 1,500-litre buffer storage tank and a 400-litre hot water storage tank in the basement.
The system supplies two existing households. Thanks to the large storage capacity, we are able to bridge several days of poor weather without having to rely on other energy sources.
We use the hot water throughout the household wherever possible (for example for the washing machine, dishwasher and other applications). This allows us to save electrical energy and actively contribute to climate protection.