We are familiar with the fact that solar panels generate electricity. They are a cheap source to generate electricity through sunlight. Solar panels help save a lot of bucks. But, what if a solar panel could generate electricity and heat water as well?
Lucky for us, this is now possible. Birds Eye Energy has come up with innovative duplex solar panels. Birds Eye Energy is a small start-up company based in Hyderabad. Their solar panels can generate electricity and use the released heat to heat water.
The innovative duplex solar panels are the work of Praneeth Pillarisetti and Harsha Vardhan Reddy. They both are the founders of Birds Eye Energy.
Praneeth Pillarisetti and Harsha Vardhan Reddy were classmates in IIT Madras. They were studying Biotechnical engineering. After that, they did an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
Praneeth and Harsha have other ideas in mind as well to produce cheap electricity. The majority of researchers in India keep working on methods to produce electricity.
How It Works
As we already know, when solar panels generate electricity, they use only 18% of the sun’s energy. It releases the rest of the energy in the surrounding air.
But, Birds Eye Energy has created a way to utilize that released energy to do something useful. They have inserted a heat recovery system under the PV section. This way, it captures the heat and uses it to heat water.
To summarize, this panel is two times more efficient than the standard panel. It utilizes up to 35% of the sun’s energy.
These two qualities of this panel make it unique and useful. They generate the same amount of electricity as a traditional panel. They also generate the same heat like a heater, but these two qualities are in one panel.
How It Developed
They first came up with the idea of a duplex solar panel in IIT Madras. It was a tiny model for academic purposes. They proceeded to do in-depth research to make this panel worth it.
After months of research, they made a model. Then, to make it affordable, they modified it. This modification made it handy and ready for the market. After testings and improvement, the panel launched in April 2019.
The size of the innovative duplex solar panel was the same as the standard solar panel size. The innovative duplex solar panel could generate 330W of power and up to 100-120 liters of water per day.
These panels are a tremendous help to hospitals and hostels. These places need hot water and electricity in massive amounts. Getting a 2 in 1 solar panel would be the best way to achieve both electricity and heated water.
This panel heats the same amount of water as an ordinary heating water panel.
Moreover, this panel is pocket friendly as it has two features and requires less space. Otherwise, you would have to pay to install two solar panels; one for heating water and one for electricity.
You do not have to worry about their maintenance due to their exceptional quality. They have features that ensure that the water is not over-heated.
In summers, you might face scaling, which would affect the flow of water in traditional panels. But, in duplex panels, there is a double way for the flow of water. So, the scaling won’t affect the flow of water in these solar panels.
The innovative duplex solar panels are the best thing if you need both electricity and warm water. Majorly, hostels, hotels, and hospitals use these panels. Furthermore, Birds Eye Energy owners look forward to becoming the most innovative company in the green energy field.
The owners of Birds Eye Energy are bright minds that still have a lot in their mind. Hopefully, their next discoveries will be as crucial as the duplex solar panel.
To conclude, their next inventions will take renewable energy sectors to the next level.