A German company has debuted a new photovoltaic roofing tile that could help change how homes around the world are powered.
Paxos Solar unveiled a glass-glass tile that can connect to a heat pump on a house, powering the system to help keep your home at a reasonable temperature year-round, according to Interesting Engineering and PV Magazine.
While solar tiles were already an option, Paxos focused on tiling that could pair with heat pumps, producing electricity and heat. After extensive testing, they debuted their black-fronted tiles, optimized to collect heat and light. A section of just 10 square feet of tiles can generate up to 190 watts of power, per Interesting Engineering.
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The tiles are installed over a "water-bearing layer" and set up to allow air to flow underneath them. The heated air under the tiles collects in a pipe, and when it reaches a certain temperature, it is fanned into the heat pump, per PV Magazine. The heat pump transfers heat inside to keep the house warm in the winter. During the summer months, the electricity from the tiles helps to power the heat pump, keeping the house cool.
A study cited by Interesting Engineering showed that heat pumps that used this method to benefit from collected hot air needed 20% less energy than those without, meaning Paxos' panels make an already green technology that is proven to lower utility costs even more energy-conscious.
Home solar is rising in popularity, and one recent study showed that switching to solar panels can save homeowners and power companies up to 40% in costs.
Highly efficient perovskite panels were just approved for sale in the U.S., which could make energy costs even more affordable for homes around the country. It wouldn't be surprising if Paxos' latest innovation has a significant impact as more and more people adopt green technologies.
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