Hello,
If snow removal is needed, it would probably be only mechanical.
This question strongly reminds me of preventing stagnation in solar thermal systems by cooling in the rainwater barrel or other shading methods.
You should always prepare energy and performance balances and compare the investment with the benefits.
Best regards
Spinatra schrieb:
Solar panels don’t work very well when covered with snow. Is there a feature that can melt the snow on them? Has anyone considered that? 😕
If snow removal is needed, it would probably be only mechanical.
This question strongly reminds me of preventing stagnation in solar thermal systems by cooling in the rainwater barrel or other shading methods.
You should always prepare energy and performance balances and compare the investment with the benefits.
Best regards
Spinatra schrieb:
Thank you for the quick reply. Coincidence, since I’m just nearby. 😉
Spinatra schrieb:
Yes, mechanically that’s good, but...
We are planning a house with a shed roof, and on the larger half photovoltaic panels and vacuum tube collectors. The roof area is fully occupied. That would generally require a specialist consultation. Just this much: solar thermal systems are rarely economically viable for private use (single-family house... German prefabricated house holding company).
Why solar thermal systems are still often used is best known to the person preparing the energy saving regulation or KfW compliance report. For commercial use with continuous hot water demand, the situation is completely different. There, solar thermal systems can indeed be economically reasonable. I estimate about 30% utilization of the incoming solar energy in such cases, while in private use, depending on consumption, only about 6 to 7% is actually usable. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to focus on photovoltaic for private use. This largely avoids the issues related to thermal use of solar energy (thermal storage resistance).
The pitch of a shed roof is naturally lower than the optimal tilt angle for photovoltaic or solar thermal systems. When fully using the projected base area, partial shading of the modules inevitably occurs! So a sensible spacing rule actually exists. Therefore, there would be room for a mechanical solution. The simplest approach would be: a roof hatch and, if necessary, a broom at hand. A technical heating system will usually render the investment pointless (balance sheets).
Best regards.
Spinatra schrieb:
...So is it better to combine photovoltaics with geothermal energy? I wouldn’t interpret it that directly. I would take a closer look, for example considering the hot water consumption patterns. Every building project is unique and specific. The so-called universal „best solutions“ definitely do not exist, even though advertising often suggests otherwise. What makes sense and is practical in one project can cause significant problems in another, usually affecting the builder’s budget.
The same applies to geothermal heat pumps or brine heat pump systems. As with many things in life, there are both advantages and disadvantages.
Understanding issues already begin with the energy saving regulation (EnEV) verification. Its sole public-law purpose is to meet primary energy goals and requirements. The builder, however, has to pay for the actual final energy consumed!
Data from EnEV verifications and certificates have absolutely nothing to do with the actual energy consumption and are, for example, completely unsuitable for sizing a heat pump system.
Hello!
Since you are still in the planning phase, you can take some constructive steps regarding snow removal:
- Choose modules without frames or with flat frames,
- Overlap the modules like shingles and avoid sharp edges.
With solar thermal collectors, heat can usually be conducted through the collectors to melt snow on the surface. If you install them in the top row, you might trigger an “avalanche” that clears your photovoltaic panels as well. But do you want the avalanche to end up in your garden or—better yet—right at your front door?
There are also technical solutions for photovoltaic modules that “heat up” the surface. Whether they recover the electricity consumed through sunlight is debatable—this also applies to the heat redirection in solar thermal systems. But what about the cost versus benefit?
Why is only part of the flat roof covered with collectors? Is the surface area of the solar collectors sufficient (a rule of thumb: 1 square meter (about 11 square feet) of collector surface per 10 square meters (about 108 square feet) of living space) to optimally support, for example, the gas condensing boiler? It would be much better to cover the entire roof—for a uniform appearance and increased energy yield. If the modules are roof-integrated, you also save the cost of traditional roofing materials.
Best regards
Since you are still in the planning phase, you can take some constructive steps regarding snow removal:
- Choose modules without frames or with flat frames,
- Overlap the modules like shingles and avoid sharp edges.
With solar thermal collectors, heat can usually be conducted through the collectors to melt snow on the surface. If you install them in the top row, you might trigger an “avalanche” that clears your photovoltaic panels as well. But do you want the avalanche to end up in your garden or—better yet—right at your front door?
There are also technical solutions for photovoltaic modules that “heat up” the surface. Whether they recover the electricity consumed through sunlight is debatable—this also applies to the heat redirection in solar thermal systems. But what about the cost versus benefit?
Why is only part of the flat roof covered with collectors? Is the surface area of the solar collectors sufficient (a rule of thumb: 1 square meter (about 11 square feet) of collector surface per 10 square meters (about 108 square feet) of living space) to optimally support, for example, the gas condensing boiler? It would be much better to cover the entire roof—for a uniform appearance and increased energy yield. If the modules are roof-integrated, you also save the cost of traditional roofing materials.
Best regards
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