Still more worthy hybrids and the logic of going large

Why aren't these guys making a bigger splash? 

I'm talking about: The Volther (now called simply the PV-T it seems) by Solimpeks. If you have a swimming pool these guys should have some of your money in their pocket.

Did you go and look at the presentation? Way deep in there (it is a long document but pretty good.) on pages 11 and 12 they layout the advantages of the superimposed approach they use. By having a front side of crystalline silicon sitting on a thermal collection panel they get to share the same aperture (my definition of a hybrid) and they share the support structure, the installation effort (mostly) and the "two" collectors can share the best spot on the roof.

Here are the advantages they list:

° Dual solar collection –2 usable energy outputs with one collection system.
° Improved PV generation–up to 50% more electricity than an equivalent conventional PV system with same peak output.
° Lower installation cost than an equivalent performance system comprised of a separate Solar PV and Solar thermal systems.
° Less roof space required than equivalent system comprised of a separate Solar PV and Solar thermal systems. In the UK this equates to approx 16m2 of PV-T panels compared to 25m2 of combined separate systems (21m2 PV and 4m2 solar thermal).
° Hybrid PV-T system’s ROI (Return On Investment) is shorter than standard PV systems due to higher electrical yield and off-set heating costs.
° Lifetime of PV cells is lengthened because cell operating temperature is reduced.

(That's pretty ugly formatting right there... sorry reader... but I wasn't sure you'd go to the site and pull down their presentation.)

Part of the trouble (the "why are these guys not making a bigger splash" issue) is natural gas prices, I know. But come on! This is sensible gear and a great way to hedge against rising fuel prices (they can't stay this low) and also a good way to maximize roof space use. Aperture (the amount of sun exposed property you have) is going to become a limiting factor as the panels become cheaper. Does that make sense?

This is worth thinking about. As the panels get cheaper and cheaper, the question changes from "how many can I afford" to "how many can I fit" and that is limited by the available aperture. Mostly this boils down to the roof size and any code limits on how much of your roof you can cover.

At that point you can't get more gear - so you need gear that can get more energy. That is the promise  hybrids offer.  Stay tuned!