[From Popgadget: Personal Tech for Women]
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
Tags: Environment, war <BR/>