Solar panels - vacumn tubes or flat panels

metalscrubber

Happy new year all - can you tell I'm in work ?

OK,

So we all know that vacumn tubes are way more efficient than flat panels but am I correct in saying they are only this efficient over a fraction of the surface area of the entire panel, ie, the top strip of each tube facing the sun ?

So is it a case then that the 'less efficient' flat panal solar collectors could deliver the same or even better results with the same surface area ?

And even if the output is not quite as good as the vacumn tubes given that they are a fraction of the cost are you better off using a larger area of flat panels ? (assuming you have the roof space)

Regards,

Metal

CJhaughey

I was speaking with a long established supplier of solar panels in this country, and he said that in a recent test by a German institute the flat panels tested actually outperformed the Vac tube collectors.
Have you seen this research?
I have 6.3m2 of flat panels primarily because of cost (before greener homes grant) and secondly because I had seen a few vacuum tubes before purchasing and did not like the way there was a possibility of leakage from the junction of the metal/glass at the top of the tube.
TBH whatever you fit make sure it is top quality because I have seen so many cheap chinese tubes fitted that it makes me worry about the life of some of these systems.

ircoha

For what it is worth: Malmo, in Sweden has a multi-sourced RE project in hand for the past several years, the only kit that caused them an issue were the vacuum panels.