Solar Arrays. [RE-wrenches]

[Matt Tritt]

Hi Carl,

Dang it! You really know how to stir up the dust with questions like
this.

Here's my take: High emissivity black does indeed radiate more heat than
other colors, including white. Otherwise auto radiators (among other hot
things) would be painted white.
White Tedlar is good at reflecting a certain amount of direct heat from
the front of pv modules thereby lowering their temperature and causing
increased efficiency. Painting over the Tedlar backing with the right
black paint will probably make them run a little cooler, but by how
much?

Why don't you try a couple of test panels and see what happens? Maybe
it's good not to listen too carefully to people telling you why
something can't be done, otherwise none of us would be in the line of
work we are! :)

Cheers,

Matt T

-----Original Message-----
From: Carl Emerson, Free Power Ltd. [mailto:freepower at freepower.co.nz] 
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 6:28 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Solar Arrays. [RE-wrenches]


Hi there,

I am interested to know if there is thought to be any advantage in 
painting the back of solar modules black.

My idea is to lower the panel temperature by increasing the radiant heat

and lowering the cell temperatures.

Is my logic flawed ??  Most of the modules are light in colour on the
back.

Thanks

Carl Emerson
Free Power Ltd.
Auckland NZ

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