Are they the same thing? Is there a different way the energy is gathered and used? Or are they 2 parts of a whole method of gathering solar energy? Inquiring minds want to know.
Photovoltaic converts light directly to enerhy using the photo-electric effect. Photothermal energy converts light directly into heat – eg. wearing black clothes on a sunny day – the black clothes will get hot quickly.
Photothermal energy can be used as a heating source to heat hot water like in solar hot water panels and hteat water or oil to pipe round in radiators. It can also be used if concentrated by mirrors and lenses to boil water to make steam which can power a steam engine to create electricity.
Photovoltaic converts light directly to enerhy using the photo-electric effect. Photothermal energy converts light directly into heat – eg. wearing black clothes on a sunny day – the black clothes will get hot quickly.
Photothermal energy can be used as a heating source to heat hot water like in solar hot water panels and hteat water or oil to pipe round in radiators. It can also be used if concentrated by mirrors and lenses to boil water to make steam which can power a steam engine to create electricity.
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