The more sunlight solar panels receive, the hotter they get. The hotter they get, the more inefficient they become at converting energy into electricity. A new modular solar panel currently under development at Brunel University London solves this issue by using heat pipes to gather this excess heat and use it to produce a building’s hot water.
PVadapt aims to perfect a flexible solar powered renewable energy system that generates both heat for hot water and electricity. “With our system, there is no waste heat,” said Technical Co-ordinator, Professor Hussam Jouhara, who invented the multifunctional Flat Heat Pipe. The panels cost about $340 each and can be used in social housing, public buildings and offices, and even in developing countries and off-grid.
See Also: Certified Green Buildings may have an advantage in capital markets
The panels can be installed quickly on-site thanks to the design that allows them to clip together as a weather-tight roof. The project team describes this process as being as simple as clipping together LEGOs or laminate flooring. For a more detailed look at how the product is clipped together on-site, take a look at the diagram below.
PVadapt will soon be used in multiple pilot projects across eight buildings, both residential and commercial, in Spain, Greece, Austria, and Portugal. Horizon 2020 is funding the project.
Related Stories
| Jul 2, 2012
Plumosa School of the Arts earns LEED Gold
Education project dedicated to teaching sustainability in the classroom.
| Jun 22, 2012
USGBC Joins Six Major Organizations at Rio+20 to Launch the Global Initiative on Urban Resilience
Global initiative is designed to spur building and infrastructure development, create new investment opportunities, and foster community action around the world
| Jun 19, 2012
Armstrong Issues Environmental Product Declarations On Nine Popular Ceiling and Steel Suspension Systems
Transparent new documentation allows end users to make more informed decisions when selecting ceilings for projects
| Jun 18, 2012
Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing Unveils Sustainable Building Solutions Test Facility
State-of-the-art facility provides a controlled testing environment of air and moisture infiltration/exfiltration in air barrier systems and building enclosures
| Jun 15, 2012
InPro’s bio-content becomes Cradle-to-Cradle CertifiedCM Silver
Two main components of G2 Blend formula now C2C Certified Silver.
| Jun 13, 2012
Free webinar on Designing and Building Green Schools scheduled for June 20
USGBC Center for Green Schools and other experts to present practical tips.
| Jun 13, 2012
Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute to hold energy asset conference for property owners, senior real estate managers
Top-level real estate professionals have been ignored as the industry has pushed to get sustainability measures in place.
| Jun 8, 2012
Living Building Challenge wins the 2012 Buckminster Fuller Challenge
The Living Building Challenge was chosen from a pool of 122 of entries from around the world.
| Jun 8, 2012
Nauset Construction completing sustainable dorm for Brooks School
Student input on green elements provides learning experience.
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.