Photovoltaic panels generate heat as well as electricity and the amount of heat is significantly more than the electrical energy. A project, funded by New York State Research and Development Authority, Natural Resources Canada and Conserval Engineering investigated the method of combining photovoltaic cells with the transpired solar air heater, constructed prototypes, measured the combined electrical and thermal energies produced and compared the results with single function reference panels. The results showed that combining the PV cells with the transpired SOLARWALL panels can produce higher total combined solar efficiencies than either of the PV or thermal panels on their own.