New hybrid solar panel roof slashes energy bills
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/news-items/ne_445530[font face=Serif][font size=5]New hybrid solar panel roof slashes energy bills[/font]
25 Sep 2015
Dr Hussam Jouhara with a prototype energy active solar roof panel
[font size=3]Scientists at Brunel University London have designed a new hybrid roofing system which could halve energy bills in new homes.
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At its heart is the use of heat pipes super conductors of heat energy - found in high tech devices from PCs to the International Space Station where they prevent it from melting in the heat of the sun on one side and freezing in the vacuum of space on the other.
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The heat pipe technology also turns the biggest downside of integrating solar panels into conventional roofs into a positive.
Currently the panels would get hottest in the summer and roofs need to be designed to dissipate that heat. Simply insulating the house below is not a good solution as that simply traps it driving up the PV panel temperature and further lowering its performance. With our system there is no waste heat.
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