Differences between photovoltaic and thermal solar panels

Differences between photovoltaic and thermal solar panels

Within the sector of photovoltaic solar panels there is a great ignorance on the part of many people, mainly because this is something only just emerging on the solar energy market. One of the most common doubts is the difference between photovoltaic solar panels and thermal ones.

Differences between these panels

The most important differences between these panels (although both devices depend directly on the sun to be able to fulfil their objective) is that they work in a different way even though the end result is similar they still have their differences. The main difference between these two types of panels is in the way they store energy.

Photovoltaic solar panels use batteries while thermal solar panels have water tanks. Thermal solar energy is used mainly to heat liquid. The heating process for thermal solar panels is used above all for the production of domestic hot water.

This is something that we can normally see in the air-conditioning of homes, buildings, and hospitals, etc. It is also possible to heat the water in swimming pools, produce hot water for buildings and even for many industrial uses too, such as the production of electricity, thanks to turbines.

Photovoltaic energy is the best known and can power both engines and different devices that work with electricity. Therefore, we can say that one of the main features that define both solar panel systems and the use made by each of the solar energies is that thermal panels absorb and transform solar energy into heat which can be used to heat liquids or generate electricity thanks to its storage abilities, and photovoltaic panels use solar energy to transform it into electricity.

Nowadays, the same property can have both types of panels installed in order to reduce the cost of traditional electricity even further, producing a significant reduction in the amount charged on the electricity bill at the end of the month.

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