Patent ID: 7694672

Claim:
A solar collector arrangement comprising a space to be ventilated and heated and a solar collecting panel comprising at least one transparent or translucent front panel, a back panel, a heat absorber means extending between and spaced from said front panel and said back panel, one or more photovoltaic cell panels arranged between the front panel and the heat absorber means, an air inlet opening to surroundings of the solar collector, and an air outlet opening defined by a structure extending to an exterior of the solar collector panel, said structure also extending into the space to be ventilated and heated, wherein, the air inlet opening and air outlet opening are configured and positioned with the back panel such that air is transported in through the inlet opening and out through the outlet opening in a continuous flow, the air inlet opening is provided by the back panel, which is permeable to air and open to the surroundings over a major part of an area covered by the front panel, the heat absorber means is air permeable, the air outlet opening extends from a volume enclosed by the front panel and the heat absorber means; and a ventilator is arranged to force air out through the air outlet opening to provide said continuous flow, the ventilator being driven by drive means powered by the one or more photovoltaic cell panels.