Canadian SolarWall Powering the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Released on Aug 01 2008
SolarWall News >> Media

Source: Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Monthly Newsletter - Natural Elements (Issue 28, August 2008)
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Article Text:
A new, Canadian-developed heat and power solar technology will be showcased at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The combined SolarWall® and photovoltaic (PV) panels system is housed on the roof of what will be a service centre and health clinic for the Olympic athletes in Beijing. This new system generates 200-300% more energy than a conventional PV system — and together with other energy-efficiency measures — will translate into a 75% decrease in the building’s total energy use, compared to that of a regular commercial Chinese building.

Such developments in renewable and clean energy have never been more important. “This is a very exciting time for solar energy,” says Dr. Reda Djebbar, a solar energy analyst at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). “And what’s unique about this project is that the sun is used to generate a combination of thermal energy and electricity.”  This technology is ideally suited to the commercial, industrial, and institutional sector, which are the largest consumers of energy and emitters of CO2.

The SolarWall® technology’s main function is to create heat energy from sunlight. It’s made of metallic panels that contain tiny perforations, which are large enough to let in solar-heated air, but small enough to keep out rain. Since the system is all metal and requires no glass, the technology has a lower cost and higher efficiency than many previous solar innovations. Above the SolarWall® panels lie the PV panels, which create electricity as well as additional heat energy.

The SolarWall® PV/thermal system provides different energy functions depending on the season. Since there’s no need for space heating in the summer, the heat energy produced by the SolarWall® is removed by fans below the PV panels, which creates more electricity and increases the panels’ efficiency.

During the winter, the system will preheat ventilation air for the building. Through convection, the SolarWall® removes the heat energy created by the PV panels, and the air, together with additional air heated by the solar panels, is forced through the perforations in the panels into the building’s ventilation system. This could be the difference, for instance, between warming a building from -21°C — the temperature of the outside air — or
from -10°C after the air has been preheated.

The SolarWall® PV/thermal solar system is currently in the demonstration stage, but we may soon see this technology emerging in the commercial and residential homes markets. For now, the system is being tested for its ability to produce electricity at the Olympic Games this summer, and it will also have a chance to demonstrate its value as a supplementary heating source in the fall and winter, when the building is turned into a school for young children.

The system was funded by NRCan and designed and installed by Conserval Engineering Inc.

Last changed:Aug 12 2008