NOVELTY - A device for the generation of electricity and for imparting thermal energy to a fluid, comprises a panel of photovoltaic material having a top surface, which when in use, is exposed to ambient solar light radiation, and a bottom surface in uniform and contiguous contact with a base (26) for supporting the panel of photovoltaic material.    USE - As device for the generation of electricity and for imparting thermal energy to a fluid (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The device improves the efficiency of a photovoltaic panel by importing thermal energy created during normal operation of the panel to a circulating fluid. The thermal energy can be employed at a heat sink to enable one to maximize the energy output from such a cell. The photovoltaic cell operates more efficiently than commonly employed cells by drawing away from the cell thermal energy which would otherwise reduce its efficiency; it not only create electrical energy, but also is used to heat a circulating fluid in order to maximize the total energy output from device; capable of being appended to a preexisting photovoltaic cell to convert the cell for transferring thermal energy to a circulating fluid associated with it.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A device for the generation of electricity and for imparting thermal energy to a fluid, comprises a panel of photovoltaic material having a top surface, which when in use, is exposed to ambient solar light radiation, and a bottom surface in uniform and contiguous contact with a base (26) for supporting the panel of photovoltaic material. The base comprises self-supporting extruded sheeting having several channels (9) being uniformly sized and spaced between layers of electrically insulative membranes. The channels further being coextensive with the photovoltaic material, have open receiving ends (16) and open discharging ends. The channel is sized and positioned to receive the fluid at the receiving ends and to discharge the fluid at the discharging ends and to transfer thermal energy from the bottom surface to the fluid as the fluid travels within the channels. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) a method of generating electricity and imparting thermal energy to a fluid, involving providing a panel of photovoltaic material having a top surface, which when in use, is exposed to ambient solar light radiation and a bottom surface in uniform and contiguous contact with a base for supporting the panel of photovoltaic material, the base comprising self supporting extruded sheeting having several channels being uniformly sized and spaced between layers of electrically insulative membranes, the channels further being co-extensive with the photovoltaic material, the channels receiving the fluid at the receiving ends and discharging the fluid at the discharging ends, while the top surface of the photovoltaic cells is exposed to ambient solar light radiation; and    (2) a device for receiving thermal energy from a photovoltaic panel comprising a first header for receiving a fluid and for feeding the fluid to several longitudinally extending channels and a second header for receiving the fluid from several longitudinally extending channels, several longitudinally extending channels configured within a base, the base comprising self-supporting extruded sheeting, the channels being uniformly sized and spaced between layers of electrically insulative membranes sized for abutting and being co-extensive with the photovoltaic panel.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a perspective view of photovoltaic cell.    Several channels (9)    Flame member (11)    Upstream and downstream headers (15, 29)    Opening (16)    Photovoltaic cell (20)    Cover glass (21)    Anti-reflective coating (22)    Contact grid (23)    N type silicon (24)    P type silicon (25)    Base (26)