Photos courtesy Conserval Engineering

Conserval Engineering worked with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the Olympic Village developer to bring this solar hybrid system to Beijing.

Made in Canada, the world's first photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) hybrid solar system is breaking ground at the Beijing Olympic Village. Mounted atop a service centre for Olympic athletes, the PV/T technology is one of the first commercially viable solar systems. It produces electricity and heat energy from the same surface area, generating 200 to 300 per cent more energy than conventional photovoltaics. The combination of air-heating technology with PVs yields an energy solution with a shorter payback period and maximized displacement of carbon dioxide. As an added benefit, the system's panels also cool the PV modules by removing heat and transferring it into the building's traditional heating system.

This Canadian technology is not limited to China. It has been used in 30 countries around the world by organizations ranging from the U.S. Army and Government of Canada, to Ford and Federal Express.