RE: New spin on solar: Hot water and electricity in one system
The technology is not 'new', just the application. When PV panels convert sunlight to electricity, the panels get hot, really hot. They are just using the 'waste' heat to generate hot water. How about giving us some cost figures ??? It would be nice to know if this can be economically scaled to a normal size home without going broke in the process. If the electricity generated must be converted to 120 vac, what is the size and cost of the converters, batteries, wiring, etc.. The limiting of use of solar on homes right now is cost, which the average homeowner cannot or is not willing, to absorb. Here in the NE, solar is limited by days of sunlight, snow, ice, etc.. In a perfect environment, these arrays work fine, but because of wx, limited sunlight during the winter, trees that shade, etc, are the economics there?
