The testing at NSTF was done indoors with a solar simulator and included panels from three manufacturers, BP Solar, Evergreen Solar and UniSolar. These tests were conducted on the 10

square metre (108 ft2) test panel previously used for certification tests of the SolarWall solar air heating system.

Evergreen supplied six of their new 170 Watt panels. Two rows of three panels covered 90% of the 10 m2 test panel.

BP Solar supplied six of their 160 Watt panels which when placed onto the test panel covered approximately 76% of the test panel surface leaving 24% of the transpired panel exposed to the sun.

UniSolar supplied eight of their peel and stick 68 Watt modules which fit onto the test panel in a horizontal configuration and covered 90% of the test panel.

It was decided to perform two sets of tests at two flow rates for each panel, one set at NOCT conditions and the other at the solar thermal conditions. The air flow heat removal rates selected were 36 m3/h. m2 (2 cfm/ft2) and 108 m3/h. m2 (6 cfm/ft2) of gross collector surface which represent low and medium air flows typical for heating ventilation air.

The Evergreen panels and UniSolar panels have similar coverage area of 90% but are significantly different in shape. The Evergreen and BP panels are similar type and shape with the main difference being the coverage area, BP panels only cover 76% of the surface of the transpired panel compared with 90% for the Evergreen ones.