Despite not being excessively large, solar thermal energy collectors seem like real mastodons next to the ingenious alternative represented by solar glass roof tiles, a revolutionary Swedish invention at an aesthetic level, there is no doubt about that and, so one you can read from them, it also offers good results.
But what are solar glass roof tiles? Perhaps before we have to answer another much more basic question, since the concept of solar thermal energy is not equivalent to that of photovoltaic energy , although both are solar energy.
Thus, energy solar thermal or energy Solar thermal is a different system to one based on panels photovoltaic , because while they are designed to convert solar radiation into electricity, these are often used to reduce the heating bill for water and indoor environments. Still, the truth is that they also support plug-ins to generate electricity.
Index
Heating, hot water and air conditioning
These curious tiles of glass , now belong to this second type of technology, but its appearance is so unusual that look more like ice roofs. However, they bring us closer to an almost dreamlike world of fantasy, in which renewable energy and architectural design go hand in hand.
Dreams aside, these glass tiles are a reality, and their savings in the medium term, after amortizing the investment, another completely earthly question, as constant as it is sound. And it is that SolTech Energy tiles generate clean and sustainable energy thanks to a Swedish invention that reduces the cost of heating thanks to this unusual system that, among other things, is much more difficult to steal than photovoltaic panels or solar thermal collectors.
In addition, as with solar thermal accumulators , this solar roof can also be adapted to supply an air conditioning system. In this case, it would be necessary to place an absorption machine, using the system known as absorption cooling. Basically, absorption cooling machines are used in which the compressor is replaced by a thermal type compression.
They heat the air, not the water
Beneath that precious glass hides the crux of the matter, a black nylon base, which absorbs heat to transmit it to the air between the tiles and it. In this way, the air heats up and ends up being channeled to a heat accumulator.
Although the climate influences performance , on average about 350 kWh of heat is produced per square meter. Taking into account that it is a Swedish invention, it is logical that its performance does not depend on sunny days only, not even on significant solar radiation.
And, the price, a sensitive issue , which in this case is also high, is about 24,000 euros for a 6 square meter roof, which could be for a house, a greenhouse or garden or, for example, replace the roof of an indoor pool. On the other hand, being independent of any architectural structure we can install it as a reform, without having to build the house from scratch. In addition, the tiles have a similar weight to that of conventional clay tiles, which does not overload the structure either.
In the chapter on environmental impact of the invention, at the landscape level it is interesting and, without a doubt, much more desirable than panels and collectors, at least in their current versions. Otherwise, glass is easy to recycle, durable, and its production does not imply an excessive carbon footprint. In addition, thinking of everything, in their roofing wanderings, the stray kittens could get scalded, as high temperatures are reached, up to 80 degrees Celsius. Hopefully it doesn’t burn me to touch them …
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