Has anyone heard of a solar system that combines photovoltaics and heating water?
I was thinking that if a system could both concentrate sunlight to get more voltage out of solar cells and in order to cool them, run water through the system. This way a building could get both electricity and heat with one system.
I meant to say increase power, not voltage.
yes, and yes they do make them. I work for a solar company who owns a start up company that is producing this type of panel as we speak. there is more than one company doing this, expect popularity to rise within 2 years.
The problems they face are the panels getting too hot due to the mirrors for the pv side. the eff. is at around 18% for pv, 95% for the thermal part.
i haven’t, and i’d think not.
you’re mixing water and electricity.
i suspect that it would be cheaper to build separate systems, than to try to manage both in a single system.
worse, when there’s a problem, it affects both.
while fixing the solar, you’re going to be spilling water.
it just sounds like asking for trouble to me.
that is not to say it couldn’t be done.
it’s just to say that i think it’d be more trouble than it’s worth.
i’ve heard of them, they exist. keeps your eyes open.
check out HomePower.