Thermal Performance Analysis in 28 PVT Solaire Domectic Hot Water Installations in Western Europe
Abstract
Hybrid solar PVT has the potential to become a major player in the renewable energy sector, but one of the major barriers is the limited number of monitored PVT hybrid systems with proven thermal performance results. In order to address this issue, a statistical study was realized to analyze in-field performances of 28 solar domestic hot water installations equipped with innovative non-overglazed PV-T collectors in Western Europe (France, Switzerland and Portugal). The results show that PVT technology is very pertinent for domestic hot water preheating, with a monthly average of the daily maximal temperature (Tmean) of the panels above 45°C during 5 months in the year. The results also demonstrate the robustness of the non-overglazed PVT collector, as the highest stagnation temperature was always measured below 74.5°C, which is very safe in terms of risk of overheating and effect on PV performance.