The demand for electricity grows as well as the pressure to keep electricity prices competitive. However, the energy infrastructure is tapped out in several parts of the United States, namely California. Additionally, recent regulations fro the EPA regarding allowable emission by fossil fuel power stations are prohibitive of investment in more power plants as well as zoning for new projects. Additionally, power losses are substantial for as distances increase from the source. Our contention is local sources of energy are the most efficient means of addressing future energy requirements, particularly for commercial and residential applications.
The proposed innovation is an evolutionary step that addresses the main problem conventional photovoltaic technology; heat. A problem inhibiting the efficiency of solar panel sun-energy conversion rate is overheating. Systems have been introduced to the industry which attempt to lower the surface temperature of panels by spraying water on their surfaces, which cools the panels by convection heat transfer with turbulent air flow. We will market a Photovoltaic panel the has an integrated heat exchanger whereby the waste heat from the panel is used to supplement the home heating applications while keeping the panel cool for more efficient operation. Similar systems being used today saw efficiency increases from 17%-22% to as much as 30%.
The average residential monthly use is approximately 920 KWh in the United States, though it varies by state and month. By assuming a modest average of 3.0 of solar energy production for each collector, and an approximate solar collector surface area of 2.5 mit can be figured that two solar thermal collectors would be enough to provide approximately half of the average United States family’s energy needs per month. This corresponds to an approximate monthly savings of $65.80 (a U.S. average of 10.4 cents per kWh), but since most energy providers enforce a price per KWh increase for any usage over 1,000 kWh, these savings can be even more prominent. If, for example, a family paid $4,000 ‘out of pocket’ for installation of this particular solar thermal system, it would pay for itself after five years. In most cases, these Solar Thermal Energy systems have life spans of around 20-25 years, making the investment worthwhile.
