Recent Advances in the Development and Testing of Hybrid PV-Thermal Collectors

Abstract

Hybrid photovoltaic and thermal (PVT) collectors combine photovoltaic (PV) cells and solar thermal components and enable the simultaneous conversion of solar energy into heat as well as into electricity. They provide potentially the most efficient conversion of solar radiation into useful energy. The combination of PV and Thermal for the co-generation of electricity and heat is not a new concept. Since the middle of the seventies, many regular journal articles have been published on this topic. In spite of the continuous interest in this concept, still no technological breakthroughs have been made to overcome the fact that with increasing temperature the electrical efficiency decreases. The best performance compromise caused by the combination of photovoltaic and thermal technologies is still to be found.