05. 26. 2006
The Keep It Simple Solar Tile - KISSTile
Roof mounted solar panels are nothing new, but an Australian designer has added a second feature that he hopes will spur adoption. Sebastian Braat has prototyped a roofing system of solar panels that are contain a grid of plastic tubing. Water runs through the tubing, absorbs heat from the sun, and is piped to the living areas for household needs. The system provides an energy savings on two levels and, depending on the size of the dwelling, can easily supply enough hot water for a family.
From Sebastian's Australian Design Award Announcement:
The KISSPower project aims to provide Australian households with a solar power solution more suited to the domestic environment than the currently available options. Encouraging Australian homeowners to embrace solar power is no small task; although a world leader in solar technology and the third largest producer of photovoltaic (PV) panels, Australia’s focus seems to have been restricted to remote and industrial applications. Bringing this established expertise into the urban environment requires a fresh view on the industry and a new consideration of PV use.
The secret to this system is the inefficiency of the current crop of solar panels. Solar panels are only able to harness a small percentage of the energy available, and this overflow is what gives the KISSTile system a leg up over traditional solar installations.
Found on Gadgetizer
Posted by Johnny
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eco
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Comments (3)
Doh! I knew that was a good idea! We thought of that many years ago when first seeing an installation of solar panels on top of a coop building at 105th & West End Ave in Manhattan. They were installed to provide the bulk of the hot water for a really big building. But, I thought, why aren't they using the solar heat to heat the water and the solar panels to create electricity? Because I had see the hot water gizmo on a friend's house upstate.
I just hope that this 'invention' really does increase sales.
Ting | May 26, 2006 1:54 PM
May 26, 2006 13:54
Attention Sebastian Braat
The question everyone is asking is. Why do Solar Tiles have to look so dammed ugly? .
Imagine saving for years to pay off a block of land and build a house. It is the objective of many Australians. The hope of the homebuilder is that the house will also look attractive.
What a shock to the system it is when Councils make it mandatory that ugly Solar Hot Water systems or Solar Tiles are required to be fitted to the roof.
The new plastic solar tiles may look little different to those that have been available to the consumer in the past but also being black they stand out as a blemish to the attractive expanse of roof tiles that have been thoughtfully colour coordinated to match the brickwork.
I recently read in an article, a fellow at Cambridge University (I think his name is Andrew Walters) has invented a polymer that converts sunlight directly into electricity.
I wrote to him suggesting his polymer be sprayed onto concrete roof tiles and be made available to the consumer in a variety of fashionably decorative colours and profile shapes similar to that presently available in the current range of concrete roof tiles.
Can you imagine a new suburb with every roof fitted with this type of Solar Tile that doesn’t look any different to the conventional concrete roof tile?
Power generated by the Solar Tiles can be used to heat water in a conventual ground mounted hot water tank located out of sight around the side of the house alleviating the need for an ugly roof-mounted tank.
Surplus power can be delivered to the national grid via the buried lead in cable and would be the equal to having built a new Power Station. The output would continue to grow commensurate with the construction of additional housing.
By fitting the whole roof with Solar Tiles, it would be producing electricity regardless of the time of day and what direction the Sun was situated and electric motors would not be needed in order to follow the Sun
It can be expected there would be reduced delays in the construction of a house compared to those normally experienced when building conventual Power Stations.
Imagine, no: - Environmental Protection studies, protests from Green groups, protests from Residents, Aboriginal Land Rights issues, Green House Gas pollution or Nuclear Waste disposal.
Homeowners could surely expect a Government subsidy for the additional cost involved in the fitting of Solar Tiles to their new home similar to that currently being given for the installation of rainwater tanks.
I’m sure they would also appreciate a cheque in the mail occasionally for electricity supplied to the national grid.
They say Opportunity only knocks once. A niche is available in the market for the person who is first to invent a Solar Tile that doesn’t look like one.
The public would immediately take advantage of the new product and buy it simply due to the fact that it doesn’t look ugly.
Max Bancroft | May 28, 2006 11:25 PM
May 28, 2006 23:25
Pouvez-vous nous communiquer l'adresse de SEBASTIAN Braat pour les tuiles solaires.
sincères salutations
COCH Louis
38 Valeureux Champs
B4632 SOUMAGNE
BELGIQUE
COCH Louis JP | March 5, 2007 7:10 PM
March 5, 2007 19:10