PV / Thermal Solar Systems

Task Information Duration January  1, 2005 to June 1, 2010 Operating Agent Henrik Sørensen Esbensen Consulting Engineers A/S h.soerensen@esbensen.dk +45 3326 7304 Task News Check Back

Overview

The objectives of this Task are to catalyse the development and market introduction of high quality and commercial competitive PV/Thermal Solar Systems and to increase general understanding and contribute to internationally accepted standards on performance, testing, monitoring and commercial characteristics of PV/Thermal Solar Systems in the building sector.

The heart in a PV/Thermal Solar System is a PhotoVoltaic/Thermal module, or PV/T module which is a combination of photovoltaic cells with a solar thermal collector, forming one device that converts solar radiation into electricity and heat simultaneously. Apart from the PV/T module also components as hot water storage tanks, heat exchangers, piping, controllers, inverters, wiring and heat pumps can form part of a PV/Thermal Solar System.

PV/T modules can generate more energy per unit surface area than side by side photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors, at a potentially lower production and installation cost. Moreover, PV/T modules share the aesthetic advantage of PV. Because of their high efficiency per unit surface area, PV/T is particularly well suited for applications with both heat and power demand and with limited roof space available. Therefore, the potential of PV/T is especially large in the residential market, both collective and individual.

An overview of commercially available PV/T products can be downloaded here.

There are many ways to combine the different PV and Solar Thermal technologies to a PV/T collector: crystalline or amorphous silicon or thin-film PV, liquid or air collectors, flat-plate or concentrating technologies with or without transparent cover, some fully building integrated. So far, most development has been done on silicon technologies with liquid and air, flat-plate type collectors. Furthermore, work has been done on concentrating and combined liquid/air PV/T collectors and on building integrated systems for preheating of e.g. ventilation air.