Everyone knows that solar panels convert sunshine into a cost-free and 100% renewable source of energy.
But sunlight contains two distinct physical qualities that could be used to generate electricity: light and heat. So, if you’ve ever thought about going solar, there’s a good chance you’ve wondered which of the two you'd be relying on.
The short answer is “light,” but the longer answer is “it depends.”
2 types of panels
That's because there are two different types of solar panels. Photovoltaic (PV) panels, convert the sun's light into energy, and thermal panels, convert its heat.
Any rooftop solar system designed to power a home will use light-converting photovoltaic (PV) panels. Thermal panels, on the other hand, are sometimes used to generate other kinds of energy.
Spotting the difference
The difference between PV and thermal rooftop solar systems is easy to spot.
If you see a few panels with spaces between them or even just a single panel on someone's roof and there's a pipe running across the top, you’re looking at heat-converting thermal solar panels.
Whereas anytime you see a large set of interconnected panels minus any piping, you're looking at light-converting PV solar panels.