To break into mainstream use, solar products need to offer a more attractive balance between performance and cost.

The Clearline solar water heating system is the result of a rigorous value engineering exercise, with the aim of optimising the ratio of the cost of the product to the energy it produces.

Our manufacturing method enables us to mould an insulating casing for the panel in a single step, an innovation that means Clearline solar panels are competitive in price with imports from overseas. The design uses materials efficiently, and when combined with its speed of installation, the total fitted cost offers remarkable value for money. .

Thanks to the use of toughened solar glass, and high-tech light absorbing materials, the efficiency of the product exceeds that of many on the market. Over the course of the year, an economically-sized panel will provide over half of the hot water energy needs of a property, a saving of some 1,850 kWh from your gas bill.

While the cash savings may be modest, the householder benefits from a hedge against fuel price volatility. Perhaps most importantly, the carbon dioxide emissions reduction of around 360kg/year in a gas heated household to 620kg/year in an electrically heated house allow the home-owner to feel that they are living a more environmentally-conscious lifestyle.

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Unbiased Information
As well as going further than any other company in assessing the durability of the product, Viridian has led the industry in providing meaningful and independent data on solar energy performance.

Pilot studies independently monitored the energy performance of seven installations of solar panels. The highly respected Building Research Establishment collected the data directly, and wrote reports on the performance.

The full report text can be found here. A summary is on the Solar Case Studies page.