How does it work?
Solar Water Heaters
Solar water heater panels absorb the sun's radiant energy and convert it into heat energy. A solar water heater pre-heats cold water before it goes into a home’s hot water tank. Energy conservation and cost savings are realized by using less conventional energy sources to heat the water in a traditional water heating system. Most solar water heaters also have a second auxiliary heater (natural gas or electric heater) to ensure that hot water needs are met when it is very cloudy or there are reduced sun hours.
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About 35% of the total energy consumed in the average Ontario household goes to heating hot water and that makes water heating one of the most cost-effective uses of solar energy, providing hot water for showers, dishwashers and clothes washers. A solar water heater provides about
85% of a household’s water heating needs.
Freeze-protected solar water heaters manufactured in Canada have been specifically designed to operate reliably through the entire year, even when the outside temperature is either well below freezing or extremely hot.
Source: http://powerhouseprogram.ca/technologies/solar.htm