New solar panel design captures light and heat

A new solar panel design captures the sun’s heat as well as turning the sun’s light rays into electricity.

PVT’s cogeneration solar panels are three times more efficient than traditional photovoltaic panels because they power a thermal system in addition to generating electricity.

Photovoltaic panels convert just a quarter of the sun’s energy into electricity; the rest is lost as waste heat.

US-based PVT Solar plans to capture this lost heat using a solar thermal system, providing hot water for home use.

As well as using the waste heat, this cogeneration system would automatically cool the photovoltaic panels, making them more efficient at generating electricity.