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Take the challengeAnother reason to love solar energy - sustainable heating!
You heard it right, Bluescope steel have changed the game of household heating by designing solar panels that produce heat! The first trial is being held in sunny Sydney on a small terrace house in Glebe.
These innovative panels combine a photovoltaic (PV) system and solar thermal technologies into steel sheets that have so far been installed on corrugated steel and tile rooves and are specifically designed for Australian climate! The thermal duct system warms and cools air by trapping and distributing it between the two layers for use in water and space heating, creating a sustainable and low cost alternative to air conditioning!
The panels being installed at the Glebe home [Image: Reneweconomy]
In an attempt to create clean energy that's accessible to (the everyday Australian), Bluescope have devised strategies to keep costs down through improved PV modules and roofing designs, reduced packaging and transport, improved building energy efficiency and low-cost and easy installation by incorporating the installation into the building process!
The project was partially funded by leading environmental innovators ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) who recently granted $350 million to kickstart between four and ten large scale solar farms across Australia. ARENA believed that this 'world first' project will help to make Australia a world leader in low-cost solar energy for residential and commercial roofing.
These thermal solar panels won't be hitting your rooftop (any time soon), as Bluescope still needs to look into supply chains and manufacturing costs, however the future looks bright for these game changing panels with hopes that they'll change the future of solar energy for good!
Do you use solar in your home? Let us know about your energy use in the comments sections below!
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