The Echo™ Solar System from PVT Solar

Echo™ is an innovative new solar energy system for the home that allows you to capture and use more of the sun's energy than a basic solar electric ("PV") system. Echo supplements conventional solar PV panels with a unique thermal solar technology that captures the waste heat from the PV panels and uses it to provide hot water and space heating. As a result, echo can satisfy twice* as much of your home's energy needs.

A basic PV system contains three major components:

1. Mounting system, attaches the solar panels to the roof of your home*
2. Solar PV panels, convert sunlight directly into electricity*
3. Inverter, converts solar electricity into the electricity you use in your home*

An echo solar system contains these same basic components PLUS the components needed to generate and manage thermal energy.

Basic PV panels draw energy only from a narrow spectrum of the sun's energy to create electricity. The remaining energy, which is mostly in the form of heat, remains unused. The simple but powerful idea behind echo™ is to capture a much wider spectrum of the sun's energy – to generate both electricity and heat.

Echo's advanced technology uses a computer-controlled fan to capture and move the heated air from underneath the solar panels. That hot air is used to heat your home and water.

Because echo uses the same PV panel to generate both electrical and thermal (heat) energy, it's more efficient. Echo transforms a 15% efficient PV panel into a 50% efficient panel. It's like turbo-charging your solar energy system.