The effect of flow rate on thermal, electrical and overall performance of solar hybrid PVT panels

Stefano Landini, Kadir Zengin, Tadhg O'Donovan

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

Abstract

Global energy demand is projected to rise by over 30% by 2035, emphasises the need for sustainable energy solutions. Solar energy, the most abundant and clean resource, offers a dual advantage through Photovoltaic (PV) cells and thermal panels, which convert sunlight into electricity and useful heat, respectively. However, the low electrical conversion efficiency of commercial PV cells, typically ranging from 12% to 18%, necessitates improvements in system design. Hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) panels, which simultaneously produce electricity and thermal energy, offer a promising solution by cooling PV cells to enhance electrical conversion efficiency while capturing heat. This study experimentally investigates the impact of flow rate on the thermal, electrical, and overall performance of PVT panels, revealing that optimising flow rate is essential for maximising efficiency. By adjusting the flow rate, the balance between thermal and electrical outputs can be fine-tuned, ensuring the efficient operation of PVT systems. The findings underscore the importance of flow rate as a controllable parameter in the design and operation of solar PVT systems, which is critical for meeting future energy needs sustainably.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 2024
EventInternational Conference on Energy, Environment and Storage of Energy (ICEESEN) - Oktay Sinanoğlu Conference Hall Cappadocia University, Ürgüp, Nevşehir, Turkey
Duration: 5 Sept 20247 Sept 2024
https://iceesen.com/

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Energy, Environment and Storage of Energy (ICEESEN)
Country/TerritoryTurkey
CityÜrgüp, Nevşehir
Period5/09/247/09/24
Internet address

Keywords

  • Solar energy
  • Photovoltaic
  • PVT

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