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Solar panels are super thermally inefficient generally speaking, collecting about 20% of the energy that hits the panel. They are dark, and this leaves a lot of heat available for the gathering. You can get solar systems that heat water as well, especially in rooftop solar. This also cools the panels down and makes them more efficient. Not much, but measurably. Something like this. [1]

Of course, in the winter in Canada, you have to bleed the system otherwise the water will freeze in the tubes and they'll burst.

There's no free heat from a wind turbine.

[1] https://dualsun.com/en/product/hybrid-panel-spring/




Actually, wind turbines do produce heat but we generally let it dissipate. It may be that it is not really usable, but wind turbines that only produce heat are a thing historically:

https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2019/02/heat-your-house-with...


I think the issue is you can’t really move heat too far physically, and turbines are located usually pretty far from houses themselves. Certainly relative to rooftop solar.


No argument here, I was just being a pedant really


I appreciated your comment because I hadn’t actually thought about that before!




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