Photovoltaic panels Solar power plant Photothermal equipment

What are photovoltaic and thermal energy systems?

Photovoltaic and thermal (PVT) energy systems are becoming increasingly popular as they maximise the benefits of solar radiation, which generates electricity and heat at the same time.

Are photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-Te) Technologies a viable solution?

In recent times, the significance of renewable energy generation has increased and photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) technologies have emerged as a promising solution. However, the incorporation of these technologies still faces difficulties in energy storage and optimization.

How does a solar PVT system work?

The solar PVT system converts solar energy into both electrical and thermal energy. There was a lot of theoretical and experimental research done in the same decade, but most of the studies reported using two main collectors to extract heat from PV modules: air and water (Joshi and Dhoble, 2018).

Which solar cells are used in PVT systems?

Herez et al. (2020) pointed out that in comparison to other PV cells, crystalline silicon, and InGap/GaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells are commonly applied in PVT systems.

What is solar photovoltaics?

Solar photovoltaics refers to the process of transforming solar radiation into electrical energy through the utilization of semiconductor devices called solar cells . Photovoltaic cells are technologies that use the photovoltaic effect to directly turn sunlight into electricity.

Can solar PV cells be stored in a thermal collector?

Because more than 80% of renewable power energy is converted to heat, that can harm PV cells if not stored in a thermal collector (Diwania et al., 2020). The concept of PVT system is depicted in Fig. 2. The solar PVT system converts solar energy into both electrical and thermal energy.