Solar thermal and solar photovoltaic power are similar in that both use the sun as an energy source, and both are renewable. However, there are quite a few differences between them, including price, type of energy output, and the things that energy can be used for in your home. The table below should give you a good idea of the pros and cons of both types of solar power.
|Solar Photovoltaic||Solar Thermal|
|Price of a typical home system||$17,394||Varies wildly depending on type chosen, usually a lot lower.|
|Ease of doing it as a ‘do it yourself’ project||Cannot make panels easily, difficult, requires skill with electrical wiring||easier and cheaper|
|Form of energy output||electricity||heat|
|Uses to which energy can be put||Electricity, heating, transport, other||Water or air heating|
|Nature of associated dangers||Electrocution if badly installed or damaged, can be dangerous to fire crews if they aren’t properly trained.||Heavy weight of water on roof in many designs, and the usual cautions when dealing with large amounts of hot water|
|Use in cold climates||Yes, energy depends on hours and angle of sunlight||Yes, but only certain types|
|Weight on roof||Yes if roof mounted, less than many thermal hot water||Yes if roof mounted, not suitable for all roofs|
|Price per kWh sunny climate||36.36cents/kWh||N/A|
|Price per kWh cloudy climate||79.99cents/kWh||N/A|
Prices are global average for July 2009 and are US denomination. They exclude rebates your government may give. They assume the system is grid-tied.