UK engineering firm Industrial Design Consultancy (IDC) has announced plans to mass produce an inflatable solar panel designed to provide hot water at a fraction of the cost of conventional solar water heaters.

The SolarStore works by allowing sunlight to pass through a clear outer layer to a water-filled black layer. The black layer heats up and warms the water inside, while air between the black and clear layers acts as insulation, ensuring the water retains its heat.

The company said that the system – which boasts a surface area of nearly two square metres when inflated, yet can be stored in a backpack when not in use – can harness enough solar energy to heat three full tanks of water per day, at temperatures close to 80 degrees centigrade. It added that each unit can curb carbon emissions by 0.2 tonnes a year.

IDC claims the system will cost under £100, adding that trial data predicts the product could pay for itself in six months, making it considerably more cost effective than solar panel based water heaters, which can cost upwards of £2,000 have a payback period of over 10 years.

The product could potentially replace conventional solar water heating systems, however, IDC initially envisions the panels being used in developing nations where remote locations often lack access to reliable electricity supplies. It said that it would also target the camping and leisure market with the product.

The company added that it was now seeking potential distributors for the product both in the UK and overseas.