Solar Hot Water Systems Available in Australia:
There are examples of two fundamentally different Solar Hot Water Systems technologies available to deliver you cheap solar hot water:
On-the-roof systems,
and heat pumps.
1. On-The-Roof Solar Hot Water Systems.

These systems have collectors on the roof to collect the radiant heat of the sun. They include the traditional flat-plate collectors that have been around since about 1970, and the more advanced evacuated tube systems -which have been on the market since 1980.
2. Heat Pump Solar Hot Water Systems.
Another type of solar hot water technology is the heat pump. They have been on the Australian market since about1990.
A heat pump solar hot water system is very clever. Just like a reverse-cycle air conditioner heating a room in winter, they use a little bit of electricity to collect a lot of heat that the sun has put into the atmsphere.
They produce similar savings to most on-the-roof systems, but are cheaper to instal because nothing has to be installed on the roof. The connections are the same as for an electric storage hot water system.
They are recognised by all Australian Governments for solar hot water rebates.
Solar hot water
A large proportion of a household’s total energy consumption is used on heating water. By using the electricity generated by your solar panels to power your hot water system, you could reduce your electricity consumption.