Is it better to put solar collectors inside my attached greenhouse?
Last Post 22 Nov 2022 05:05 AM by Cassy0110. 7 Replies.
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cad_ilUser is Offline
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30 Nov 2010 06:13 PM
I'm planning a house with a greenhouse facing south. I also want to utilize solar water heat for HW and radiant floors. I'm thinking why not put the solar collectors underneath the green house roof? Then they would be inside and warmer. Would that help? Would it be worth it?
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01 Dec 2010 10:22 AM
Probably not.  What you might save in ambient heat loss would be offset by the reduction in insolation through the greenhouse panels.

Have you considered evacuated tube arrays for the solar collectors?  They appear to perform well where ambient heat loss is a concern.
dcmeserveUser is Offline
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02 Dec 2010 07:41 PM
I was speculating about the same thing a while back -- standalone solar collectors have their own glazing to prevent heat loss, but if you have a greenhouse, you could just run black tubing (i.e. cheap swimming-pool type solar collector) inside the greenhouse and get about the same thing. Of course, as ICFHybrid points out, you'd need nice clear glass for your greenhouse roof to let enough sunlight in. I also wonder how easy it is to hang a lot of water-filled tubing just below your greenhouse roof as well. (Would the extra weight require structural upgrades to the greenhouse and increase its expense?) But it might work, and leave more room on the house's roof for PV collectors.
jbaronUser is Offline
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02 Dec 2010 10:35 PM
Any heat that you suck out of the greenhouse with a solar panel is, well, heat that you suck out of a greenhouse. Sort of defeats the purpose of a greenhouse, eh? It's hard to imagine that a plan that sacrifices glazing area is the way to go.

Jeff
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06 Dec 2010 04:16 PM
another idea would be to put your solar colectors vertical on the wall of the house or even better build a solar closet on the wall of the house.

Adi
http://torontonetzerohouse.blogspot.com/
http://torontonetzerohouse.blogspot.com/
LittleponnyUser is Offline
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20 Aug 2021 08:44 PM
Everything is relative. The production of electricity with the help of photovoltaic modules is a clean process, but their production is not entirely, that are cons of solar. The main components of solar photovoltaic panels are made from crystalline silicon. The production of these components is an energy-intensive process that consumes up to 60% of the total energy used to make solar panels.
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06 Mar 2022 01:55 PM
Posted By Littleponny on 20 Aug 2021 08:44 PM
Everything is relative. The production of electricity with the help of photovoltaic modules is a clean process, but their production is not entirely, that are solar amorphous panels. The main components of solar photovoltaic panels are made from crystalline silicon. The production of these components is an energy-intensive process that consumes up to 60% of the total energy used to make solar panels.


This is a great idea. Thanks for the info.
Cassy0110User is Offline
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22 Nov 2022 05:05 AM
Of course it will help.


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