ABSTRACT
In the past 3-4 decades, the market of solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation has been growing rapidly. So were the technological developments in hybrid solar photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) collectors and the associated systems. Generally speaking, a PVT system integrates photovoltaic and solar thermal systems for the co-generation of electrical and thermal power from solar energy. A range of methods are available such as the choices of monocrystalline/polycrystalline/amorphous silicon (c-Si/ pc-Si/a-Si) or thin-film solar cells, air/liquid/evaporative collectors, flatplate/concentrator types, glazed/unglazed designs, natural/forced fluid flow, and stand-alone/building-integrated features. Accordingly, the systems are ranging from PVT air and/or water heating system to hot-water supply through PV-integrated heat pump/pipe or combined heating and
cooling and to actively cooled PV concentrator through the use of lens/ reflectors. Engineering considerations can be on the selection of heat removal fluid, the collector type, the balance of system, the thermal to electrical yield ratio, the solar fraction, and so on. These all have determining effects on the system operating mode, working temperature, and energy performance.
