Evinox has supplied a renewable energy solution for the rhinos at Whipsnade zoo. Hot water for the rhinos’ showers, the heating of their pool and the heating of the air-handling unit for their enclosure is being generated by a vacuum tube solar thermal system.

The design of the evacuated tube collectors ensures that the solar thermal system can help meet heat demand all year round. The 1,500 litre thermal store allows the solar heating system to combine with an air-source heat pump to top up any energy requirements not met by solar in the winter.

The solar controller will bring the heat pump on only when the store sensors calculate that there is not enough energy being produced by the solar thermal system to meet temperature requirements. The company says even during winter the evacuated tube system can lift the temperature of the hot water store to 60°C.

Evinox

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Specifier 25 April 2008