Interesting Combo Product

[ZoNiE]

I noticed an interesting product being shown at the Intersolar show this week.

https://www.systovi.com

The R-volt, Basically a PV panel with a box on the back to collect heat and transfer it to air to also heat a home. They have a whole system to distribute the heat to the house.

Even though it vents the heat into the rooms at the ceiling instead of the floor, It probably helps offset heating costs. Presumably it helps with efficiency by cooling the PV...

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[J.P.M.]

Interesting perhaps, but not terribly new. Some ideas are easier in concept than translation to reality and a workable product. This one's been around solar probably longer than I have. Mostly still not ready for primetime, but the "you could just do this and then a miracle will happen" crowd is still at it. This seems the latest of a long string of iterations on a theme. Maybe there are some applications where this can be workable, but active solar heating via air cooled PV combo is sort of like 10 lbm of stuff in a 5 lbm bag and probably limited to colder climates. As for cooling the PV alone, the pumping costs, particularly for air, make that not cost effective.

[ZoNiE]

It seemed to be fully commercialized.

[J.P.M.]

It seemed to be fully commercialized.

From what the ads would seem to want us to believe anyway.

Viable idea. Been that way or years. Perhaps these folks know the secrets to workable, common application and larger marketing appeal than others have missed thus far.

[ZoNiE]

The materials they had in the booth looked like production materials, not prototypes. Molded components are not cheap in small quantities. There were a lot of interesting products at the show this year. Some were indeed prototypes.

I also met Mario at the Midnight booth.

[albert436]

the "you could just do this and then a miracle will happen" crowd is still at it.

Yeah like those fancy roof mounts you and I are going to design and market. Although I usually think in terms of "and then we'll make a million dollars".

[J.P.M.]

Yeah like those fancy roof mounts you and I are going to design and market. Although I usually think in terms of "and then we'll make a million dollars".

Understood. However, to be clear and a bit serious if only for a second, I have no intention of designing or marketing anything. I'm retired and intend to remain so.

I wish the developers luck in finding workable and cost effective applications for their latest iteration on an old idea.

[SunEagle]

The materials they had in the booth looked like production materials, not prototypes. Molded components are not cheap in small quantities. There were a lot of interesting products at the show this year. Some were indeed prototypes.

I also met Mario at the Midnight booth.

That manufacturer may be onto something or could be pumping a lot of money into advertisement just to sell their product which is not moving well.

One thing IMO is that there are a lot of production made devices being advertised and sold everywhere but some items (like those non UL listed grid tie inverters) look legit are really poorly made, unsafe and illegal to use in some countries.

Be careful of a sales person dialog and flashy advertisements used to get your attention because a buyer may miss the lack of quality if they look real close at the product.

[requir]

Not so reliable manufacturer , because of lack of opinions.

[emartin00]

SolarWorld also had a hybrid module on display. It was a standard PV module that had a hot water system mounted to the back of it. I didn't get a chance to ask any questions about it unfortunately.

[J.P.M.]

SolarWorld also had a hybrid module on display. It was a standard PV module that had a hot water system mounted to the back of it. I didn't get a chance to ask any questions about it unfortunately.

While still not ready for prime time, a WATER cooled panel will have lower pumping costs. Because of it's specific volume (lower density), it takes quite a bit more more energy to pump a lbm of air at atm. pressure than a lbm of H2O.