What is the difference between Solar Thermal and Solar Electric (Photovoltaic) Panels?
Solar Thermal technologies capture the sun’s heat, usually for direct use to heat water, air or swimming pools. A solar thermal panel is usually a flat plate collector that consists of a metal box with a glass or plastic cover and a black absorber plate at the bottom, with tubes inside that hold the fluid to be heated. Solar Photovoltaic panels, on the other hand, use the sun’s light to produce electricity which can then be used for all sorts of applications. They look somewhat different from to solar thermal panels. The FIT program applies to Photovoltaic panels only.
