OREANDA-NEWS. December 12, 2012. A new filling complex "OKKO" which uses solar energy for its work was opened in Alupka (Crimea). The roof of filling station is fixed up with solar system of 4 collectors for heating the operator room and store.

Solar collector captures sun rays due to the special design of vacuum tubes (it is able to absorb 96-98% of solar heat) and then solar energy is transferred into the water tank which is heated to the desired temperature. Therefore this water can be used in everyday life. Collectors on the roof are fixed up with the optimal exposure (north-south) and the angle of inclination. They operate at any time of year but with the highest performance during spring and autumn when the intensity of solar radiation is the highest. According to statistics there are more than 250 sunny days a year in Alupka.

Payback of solar system depends on the change of tariffs for electricity in Ukraine, but according to preliminary estimates it would not exceed 5 years. This project in Alupka must show the prospective of set solar collectors at other filling stations "OKKO" that will be built in the future, especially in southern Ukraine. Engineers plan to calculate the feasibility to resupply already operating filling stations with solar system; however it is more complicated to do it at such stations because it will need the reconstruction of utilities.

Start-up of solar system at filling station in Alupka was the next step in active use of alternative energy at network "OKKO". As previously reported, on October, 29 "OKKO" opened the first in Ukraine charging point for electric cars in Kiev, and on November, 5 the new highway complex "OKKO" which is heated with a heat pump that works on the temperature difference in the soil started operating near Lviv.