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Roadmap for the next-generation of hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar energy collectors
•Roadmap presented for hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors.•A novel indium tin oxide (ITO)-based transparent low-emissivity coating applied directly to a PV cell is presented.•Quantitative comparison of evacuated cavities, transparent low-emissivity coatings, and silicon heterojunction phot...
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Published in: | Solar energy 2018-11, Vol.174, p.386-398 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | •Roadmap presented for hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors.•A novel indium tin oxide (ITO)-based transparent low-emissivity coating applied directly to a PV cell is presented.•Quantitative comparison of evacuated cavities, transparent low-emissivity coatings, and silicon heterojunction photovoltaic cells for improved performance.•Cost requirements for technologies along the roadmap are estimated and compared to today’s costs.
For hybrid photovoltaic-thermal collectors to become competitive with other types of solar energy converters, they must offer high performance at fluid outlet temperatures above 60 °C, as is required for space heating and domestic hot water provision, which together account for nearly 50% of heat demand. A roadmap is presented of the technological advances required to achieve this goal. Strategies for reducing convective, radiative and electrical losses at elevated temperature are discussed, and an experimental characterisation of a novel transparent low-emissivity coating for photovoltaic solar cells is presented. An experimentally-validated simulation formalism is used to project the performance of different combinations of loss-reduction strategies implemented together. Finally, a techno-economic analysis is performed to predict the price points at which the hybrid technologies along the roadmap become competitive with non-hybrid photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies. The most advanced hybrid technology along the roadmap employs an evacuated cavity, a transparent low-emissivity coating, and silicon heterojunction photovoltaic cells. |
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ISSN: | 0038-092X 1471-1257 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.solener.2018.09.004 |