Flat Collectors and Roof Shingles

Flat-plate PV collectors contain an array of individual cells connected in a series/parallel circuit and encapsulated within a sandwich structure, the front of which is glass or plastic. Unlike thermal collectors, the back of these collectors is not insulated, because for best performance, they need to be cooled by the atmosphere. If this energy could be used and thereby this loss could be eliminated in new designs, the conversion efficiency could be much improved. 

Shingles can be made from a thin film of amorphous silicon on plastic. They can generate solar electricity for private homes or commercial buildings. Flexible roofing laminates can be designed to be bonded on 0.4 m (16-inch) wide, flat Galvalume pans. A 2.75 m (9 ft) PV roof pan is rated to generate a maximum of 64 watts. 

Post-Oil Energy Technology After the Age of Fossil Fuels 

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