Major award for hybrid solar technology
Solar panels that combine photo-voltaic and thermal capabilities have won an award in the Rushlight Awards 2013. Newform Energy was presented with the Natural Energy award, best in category, for its multi-source hybrid solar solution. Guest speaker at this year’s event was Greg Barker, Minister of State for Energy & Climate Change.
This was the first year of Newform Energy entering the Rushlight Awards.
Its multi-source hybrid solar solution combines solar PV and solar thermal. A solar heat pump than boosts temperature when required so that a system can provide all the heating and hot water requirements for a well insulated building.
Borehole technology can also be included. Excess thermal energy from the panels can be pumped into boreholes to provide a heat source for a heat pump at a later date. The effect is to optimise the efficiency of the heat pump, increase the output of the PV and increase the yield of the solar thermal.
Newform Energy’s managing director Anthony Morgan believes that this approach is the only way of delivering zero-carbon buildings, and the company is developing a range of solutions for commercialisation off the back of the innovative work it has been doing over the last few years.
