Frequently Asked Questions

• Capacity: 12 kW/panel
• Panel size: 20 m²
• Area: 4000 m²/MW
• Field: None.
• Integration with existing fossil-fired process heat systems: Simple.
• Show me: Please contact us for a tour of the district heating solar field on Møn, Southern Zealand, Denmark.

Technically, Heliac’s solution is scalable from 12 kW to GWs. However, taking the costs of planning, preparing, and installing into account, Heliac's solar fields shouldn’t be less than 200 kW.

PV produces power (electricity). Heliac produces heat. The best commercially available PV panels have a conversion efficiencies below 20%. Heliac’s panels convert 60% of the incoming sunlight to heat. In 2018, PV globally produced 640 TWh of electricity. In comparison, global annual demand for heat below 400°C is 30,000 TWh. Storing energy as electricity in Li-Ion batteries costs >€300 per kWh capacity. In comparison, depending on temperature level and number of charging cycles, storing energy as heat costs €1-25 per kWh capacity.

Concentrated solar power, CSP, has been around since the 1980’s. CSP generates heat by focusing sunlight. The generated heat is then used to run turbines that generate power. The reason the generated heat is not used for industrial process heat or heating buildings is that CSP’s cost of heat generation is significantly higher than the cost of generating heat using fossil fuels.
Heliac’s panels also generate heat by focusing sunlight. The difference is that Heliac can produce the heat at costs below fossil fuels practically anywhere in the world. This allows for targeting the heat market with heat solutions based on concentrated solar heat, CSH.

Flat solar panels have been around decades primarily as rooftop installations producing hot water and heating for private households. In recent years, flat panels have become increasingly integrated into district heating networks. For large scale usage, flat panels are challenged by a number of factors, most prominently that they cannot generate temperatures above 70-80°C. Heliac’s panels generate 40% more energy per area than flat panels – and they can do so up to 400°C.

No. The present version of Heliac’s panels is not dimensioned for rooftop installations.

Heliac’s solution is scalable from 12 kW to GWs. However, taking the costs of planning, preparing, and installing into account, Heliac solar fields shouldn’t be less than 200 kW (16 panels).