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My understanding is “hybrid” solar panels, solar trackers, etc. have all basically become uneconomical with the massive drop in solar panel prices per watt. For
by sgerenser 3y ago
My understanding is “hybrid” solar panels, solar trackers, etc. have all basically become uneconomical with the massive drop in solar panel prices per watt. For any additional energy you could extract with these schemes, you can get more energy per dollar just by adding more panels. I suppose in cases where you are space limited something like this might still make sense.
- ricardo81 3y agoSounds about right otherwise PVTs would be far more mainstream. I think the point in that is that the energy requirement for hot water is a fraction of the demand for electricity. But perhaps with a system like this, the heat can be more useful when used as a battery and the sun isn't shining. As ever the LCOE wins, and whatever time of day the energy can be used at.
- detourdog 3y agoI think about this a lot and my conclusion is that is too narrow of view of what is happening. I think it makes sense to use Solar PV as a main source of energy. I also think it makes sense to use other forms of solar energy for a sense of redundency. I have an existing PV array that is nicely covering energy usage. I worry that I'm overly reliant on complex electronics and want to add Solar Thermal as a redundancy. The solar thermal is actually a whole separate system with the same dependency on sunlight but the human made bits can all be different.
- jeffbee 3y agoYou're worried that PV is complex so you want to add a thermal cycle? That doesn't begin to make sense. Thermal power plants are insanely complicated. PV is just semiconductors.
- nine_k 3y agoNot a solar thermal electric power generator, but solar thermal storage. It's just a hunk of matter, usually a water tank.
- pfdietz 3y agoIt'll be cheaper if you charge your thermal store using a PV driven heat pump, rather than try to collect the sunlight as heat directly.
- detourdog 3y agoMight be cheaper but I think you failed to understand the need for a redundant heating system. That is isn't wholly based on the complexity of PV. Secondly there is nothing preventing me from leveraging the cost savings of PV heat generation when available. I just want a parallel heating system that isn't reliant on PV solar generation. I thought I made that clear. I also would be able to use the system during the shoulder months where the efficiency of heat generation isn't an extreme need. Passive solar is simpler the Photo Voltaic solar and I believe there is a rich middle ground in balancing the 2.
- pfdietz 3y agoWhy not a PV heating system and, if you want redundancy, another PV heating system? What failure mode are you imagining that leaves a solar thermal system working but takes out both PV systems?
- detourdog 3y agoI see a stronger redundancy by using disparate overall approaches of technology. This is an overall philosophy. I will try to describe the overall weakness I see using the same approach for a redundant system. A double PV system I see as too homogeneous and thus susceptible to the same risks. A PV system with a solar thermal system for redundant heating I see as more diverse and thus resilient. I try to design to a 100 year expectation. We all know that PV systems need replacement on a schedule. We also all experience electronic digital systems that may meet are needs but are no longer supported. I see this currently as a complexity that we accept because the tech is so darn convent. Solar thermal can take many forms from very passive to a combination of almost passive with the exception of fluid moving systems. The fluid moving systems components are not nearly as specialized as the PV components and thus the overall system is more malleable. This malleability provides for greater variation in replacement parts and short term hacks to get through system failures.
- detourdog 3y agoObviously we disagree. I truly don't understand how highly specified electrical system could be simpler then pumped water and solar gain.
- detourdog 3y agoLooks like someone can’t handle variations in opinions and can’t articulate their own ideas.
- kamranjon 3y agoThat seems entirely dependent on available space.
- pfdietz 3y agoUtility scale PV does often use 1-axis trackers, particularly in the US southwest.
- usrusr 3y agoI wouldn't ever see limited space as a hypothetical, considering how human history is often just seen as a long sequence of territorial wars.
- hn_throwaway_99 3y agoTerritorial wars for productive land. The thing about solar is that it is often best located in land that is useless for other human purposes, and is often vast, like deserts.