The idea of combining photovoltaic and heat solar panels has been around for the last few years. I have seen a couple of new ideas and technologies brighten the horizon.
The fact is, if these two complementary technologies can be combined they would have a synergistic outcome. PV panels are more efficient when they are cooler and the waste heat can be used to heat various energy needs in the building.
Vinod Khosla, founder of Sun Microsystems says he has found a way to double or even triple the energy yield of current solar panels. This is a huge potential and Mr. Khosla, knows it. After a recent reporter interviewed him for a story in the New York Times, he took down his website to keep more control over the spread of information regarding his technology. Click Here for the New York Times article.
Mr. Khosla is funding a company called PVT Solar, of Berkeley, CA, where they have been trying to harness the wasted heat from solar PV panels. The found the heat could be pumped into the house to heat the water in the furnace through a heat exchanger or some other type of heating system.
Apparently they have installed a few systems, but no details or cost analysis seems to be forthcoming.
This is one “not so cool” technology to keep an eye on! Hope to see something develop very soon.
