Hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar systems for combined heating, cooling and power provision in the urban environment

Abstract

Solar energy can play a leading role in reducing the current reliance on fossil fuels and in increasing renewable energy integration in the built environment. Hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) systems can reach overall efficiencies in excess of 70%, with electrical fficiencies in the range of 15-20% and thermal efficiencies of 50% or higher. In most applications, the electrical output of a hybrid PV-T system is the priority, hence the contacting fluid is used to cool the PV cells to maximise their electrical performance, which imposes a limit on the fluid's downstream use. When optimising the overall output of PV-T systems for combined heating and cooling provision, this technology can cover more than 60% of the heating and about 50% of the cooling demands of households in the urban environment. To achieve this, PV-T systems can be coupled to heat pumps or absorption refrigeration systems as viable alternatives to vapour-compression systems. This work considers the techno-economic challenges of such systems, when aiming at a low cost per kWh of energy generation of PV-T systems for co- or tri-generation in the housing sector. First, the viability and afordability of the proposed systems are studied in ten European locations, with local weather pro files, using annually and monthly averaged solar-irradiance and energy-demand data. Based on annual simulations, Seville, Rome, Madrid and Bucharest emerge as the most promising locations from those examined, and the most efficient system confi guration involves coupling PV-T panels to water-to-water heat pumps that use the PV-T thermal output to maximise the system's COP. Hourly resolved transient models are then defi ned in TRNSYS in order to provide detailed estimates of system performance, since it is found that the temporal resolution (e.g. hourly, daily, yearly) of the simulations strongly affects their predicted performance. The TRNSYS results indicate that PV-T systems have the potential to cover 60% of the heating and almost 100% of the cooling demands of homes at all four aforementioned locations. Finally, the levelised cost of energy for these systems is found to be in the range of 0.06-0.12 e/kWh, which is 30-40% lower than that for equivalent PV only systems

Constructive Solution of Highly Effective Photoenergy Module: Development and Experimental Testing

“…Depending on the necessary technological requirements worked out three basic modes of HSGM working [8]: ensuring the most efficient power generation, ensuring maximum efficiency of thermal energy and maximizing the overall efficiency. In [9] developed designs that for maximize the electric power ensure the heat extraction from SC front surface to the environment and from the rear surface to the coolant circuit. The main feature of the module design that meets this working regime is the absence of air layer between the solar cells and translucent coating.…”

Overall efficiency enhancement and cost optimization of semitransparent photovoltaic thermal air collector

“…and If a subsystem has n components, then the component availability A i (t) can be calculated by (6) as follows:…”

“…The design process of a large-scale PV plant can be performed by considering the system cost. In reference [6], it was suggested that PV/T systems can supply a major portion of domestic heating and cooling demands | 119 Some researchers have developed a model for PV module electrical efficiency evaluation.…”

“…They suggested that further research is required to improve efficiency, minimize cost, and resolve technical design issues of collectors [5]. In reference [6], it was suggested that PV/T systems can supply a major portion of domestic heating and cooling demands | 119 BENIWAL Et AL.…”

Assessment of various parametric effects on the performance of a commercial grade photovoltaic solar panel

“…The amount of solar energy can be harnessed from the entire surface of the earth is 1.22x10 14 tons coal equivalent or 0.814x10 14 tons of oil equivalent in one year. That is to say, the amount of incoming solar energy on the earth surface in one year is fifty times the known reserves of coal and 800 times the known oil reserves [8]. Hence, if solar energy can be harnessed and used in a proper way, it has the capacity to fulfil multiple times the energy demands of the world population.…”