Sun-Free Photovoltaics

feedhorn
feedhorn Solar Expert Posts: 103 ✭✭
in Solar Product Reviews & Opinions #1
Check this out:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-07-sun-free-photovoltaics.html


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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Sun-Free Photovoltaics

    looks like it isn't light free and isn't free light. it's just getting the light a different way as in being generated light from other fuels and is set up more like a fuel cell type arrangement. i thought the idea was to get away from fossil fuels because they aren't renewable.:confused:
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  • Urbandialect
    Urbandialect Solar Expert Posts: 107 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Sun-Free Photovoltaics

    They should use this techonolgy to make some kind of hybrid solar cell, maybe on the back side of the solar cell have the heat energy conversion system, were when the solar gets to hot and starts to lose over 50% power production the heat conversion system kicks in... and bam!!!.. the solar panels starts producting as much power as it was before or maybe even more, and at night when the sun goes down, the heat that's still trapped in the solar panel get converted as well..
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #4
    Re: Sun-Free Photovoltaics

    We have had various discussions about placing cooling coils on the back of solar panels--And it seems to be a losing cause... The panels have to be about at the maximum temperature of the solar cells to generate much in the way of useful heat. Add the plumbing and issues of maintenance--It appears to be easier to just add a few solar thermal panels off to the side to collect the heat needed for thermal needs (solar thermal panels are many times more efficient than solar electric panels). You would only need a fraction of solar PV array of solar thermal houses for hot water needs for most people.

    Once such company discussed here before:

    Pure speculation- water cooled panels

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Sun-Free Photovoltaics

    Bill;

    This isn't about cooling the panels. It's the same low-Angstrom direct-to-electricity conversion as discussed in the thread here http://forum.solar-electric.com/showthread.php?t=12231 (which you had to edit). Converting infrared to electric. Urbandialect is suggesting this technology could be incorporated with standard PV's to take the heat they will produce anyway and recover at least some of it as additional Watts to make up for the down-grading of the hot panels.

    It's a very good and interesting idea, but don't hold your breath waiting for it to show up at the retail level. Sometimes these great ideas turn out to be completely impractical for one reason or another.
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