Solar energy

The sun is possibly the most important reason that there is life on our earth. Light is important for most organisms. Trees remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and combine it with water and other minerals. This is done by sunlight and we call it photosynthesis. This happens in the leaves of the plants. In the distant past there were only plates on the earth. There was also a lot of CO₂ in the atmosphere at that time. Then came other life, insects, fish and animals. The sun gives light. We experience part of it as heat.

We can make electricity by capturing sunlight on solar cells. The professionals then talk about PV panels. PV stands for Photo Voltair which means light and power in Dutch.

There are also heating panels. These panels collect heat in the summer. this heat is then stored in a heat buffer tank. The heat can then be used to heat a house in the winter. With a heat pump this heat can also be used to make hot water.

There are also combinations of heat collectors and solar panels. These PVT panels stand for Photo Voltair Thermo, which are the indications for light current and heat. This combination is the most efficient form of collecting solar energy and offers the most possibilities to make a house self-sufficient. However, it requires an extensive installation with a heat buffer tank and a heat pump. Unfortunately, these panels are not yet generally available.

Of the possibilities, we will explore those that are useful for creating an autarkic house. And everything we research becomes available under free open source licenses.

Current projects

None yet

Planned projects

Cooled and insulating solar panels for roof renovation

Completed research

The solar roof tile version 1