Solimpeks Corp, a Karatay, Turkey-based solar company has announced the release of Volther hybrid solar collector that is competent to heat water and produce electric power concurrently.
The hybrid PV-T model surmounts the exaggerated cost and inadequate power output disadvantages, generally found in conventional photovoltaic modules. The problem of decreased electrical yield in comparison with the solar input and escalated cost of operations is effectively balanced by the Volther hybrid solar PV-T collector system.
Solar Panels
The Volther hybrid solar PV-T collector system incorporates a photovoltaic module as well as solar collectors. While the solar collectors allow production of hot water the PV modules help in the production of electricity. Both the solar collector and the PV modules utilize a black surface for the collection of solar energy but the inherent problem of module heat up reduces the power production output of PV modules by 5%. The water circulating in the solar collector for the production of hot water solves this problem by cooling down the heated up solar cells and allows them to continue with the same solar power output. Thus the power producing efficiency of the PV module is optimized by transferring the increased heat to the solar collector for hot water production.
The mentioned advantages of the Volther hybrid solar collector system include, increased, power production performance by the PV module. Hybrid PV-T systems are designed to cover half of the areas with PV modules and the other half with thermal heat collectors thus allowing the production of electric power and hot water utilizing the same module, and reducing environmental pollution.
The new PV-T systems while reducing the temperature of the PV cells also helps in increasing the life time of the solar cells and its efficiency. According to a recent estimate worked out by the companies, universities and scientists a mere 25 sq.m. of PV-T collectors is enough to meet the power, as well as hot water requirement of a normal family in northern Europe.