- Jul 20, 2011 12:14 PM EST
- [num] Comments
Solar panels are able to soak up the sun's rays and turn them into energy. But according to a new report out of the University of California San Diego, they have another benefit as well: keeping things cool.
in a new study published in the journal Solar Energy, UC San Diego environmental engineering professor Jan Kleissl and his team reveal that solar panels actually have a cooling effect on buildings, acting as a rooftop shade. The level of cooling is enough to save homeowners around five percent in cooling costs.
"There are more efficient ways to passively cool buildings, such as reflective roof membranes," Kleissl told PhysOrg. "But, if you are considering installing solar photovoltaic, depending on your roof thermal properties, you can expect a large reduction in the amount of energy you use to cool your residence or business."
With enough funding, the team says it could potentially build a calculator that would allow homeowners to determine just how much of a cooling effect solar installations would have.
Photo courtesy mjmonty