Austria hosts Europe's largest photovoltaic-thermal energy system after installing 1,130 PVT modules at a sports stadium in Vienna, PV Magazine reported.
The project at Ferry-Dusika-Hallenstadion is one of the first large-scale uses of PVT technology, which harnesses solar energy and transforms it into electricity and heat.
Several groups collaborated to complete the project and install the PVT modules from German solar manufacturer Sunmaxx, according to PV Magazine.
The system also features geothermal energy and heat pumps, providing "efficient, climate-neutral, and cost-effective electricity and heat," Sunmaxx stated.
While traditional photovoltaic cells –– including in solar panels –– capture solar energy as electricity, PVT systems produce both electricity and heat. PVT systems convert the sun's heat into usable heat, which would otherwise be lost. Geothermal energy works similarly and converts heat from within Earth, and the heat pumps in the system utilize this energy.
This solar and geothermal energy system allows the stadium to ditch dirty energy. Clean energy –– including solar and geothermal –– is healthier for people and the planet, since burning dirty energy sources such as coal and natural gas produces harmful pollution. Such energy sources are also cheaper than dirty energy sources.
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Installing solar panels at your home can save you up to $1,500 annually on energy costs. While purchasing solar panels can be expensive, EnergySage provides a free service to compare quotes, and it could save you up to $10,000.
If the install costs are still prohibitive or you aren't able to add solar panels to your home for a different reason, community solar programs can also allow you to use clean energy and lower your energy bills.
PVT technology could make clean energy even more efficient and affordable. According to PV Magazine, the modules are suitable for private homes and municipal districts. For now, the Austrian system remains one of the first of its kind.
"The Vienna Sports Arena impressively demonstrates how the complete decarbonization of buildings can be achieved with PVT and geothermal energy — a significant step not only for the city of Vienna but for the entire European energy transition," Sunmaxx stated.
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