It’s the shape of things to come – free hot water for life in a solar-powered home.

In a grim, grey, wet Welsh winter that seems unlikely, but soon home builder Anwyl Construction hopes to be offering it as a regular “green” option to its customers.

It is being installed in two houses at the builder’s new development at Boundary Way, Saltney, where Anwyl is putting up 127 properties. More could follow.

The Rhyl-based company has already built one three-storey townhouse with the revolutionary new heating system and details of the eco-friendly choice are available at a showhouse which is open on the site.

Anwyl’s commercial director Bryn Roberts said, “It is the first time we have built a house with solar-powered heating but it’s something that is going to be a requirement within a few years.

“Wales is actually leading the way by intending to bring in regulations making it a requirement on new homes by 2011, while in England it won’t be in force until 2015. We wanted to press on to explore how we would do it and so that we can offer it as an option to our customers.”

Hot water for the house is provided by solar power through panels in the roof. But unlike those used for many years in Mediterranean countries, with their guaranteed summer sunshine, where the water is heated directly, this uses a different technique.

The Worcester Bosch panels set in the roof use an absorber plate which is heated by the sun’s rays.

This heat is collected in a gel-like freeze-resistant transfer liquid which is in turn used in a heat exchanger to heat water.

Mr Roberts added, “The solar panels harness the power in both direct and diffused sunlight in order to convert the energy to heat, for the production of hot water.

“A typical solar system should provide around 50 to 70% of the hot water requirements of a home and in the summer you should be able to switch off your boiler altogether.

“That means a very worthwhile saving on hot water heating costs and a much greener option than using an exclusively gas, oil or electric system.”

Greenskies solar panels have been designed as a complement to existing heating systems which use a store of hot water in a cylinder.

Instead of a conventional cylinder, the new cylinder has two heat exchanger coils: one from the boiler in the property and a second from the solar panels.

The panels were fitted before the roof tiles went on.

Contract manager Iain Murray added, “There is an additional cost to install it but there are cost benefits in the long run and it’s certainly the way things are going.

“We didn’t have any problems with plumbing it in or with setting it in the roof and they look like skylights so they’re certainly not unsightly.

“We had help and advice from the manufacturers of the system, Worcester Bosch, and it’s gone so well we’re now considering it on our other sites.

“The house we have fitted with the system has already sold and the buyer said that this was certainly a factor in persuading him to go for this property.”