Performance assessment of an LCPV/T solar hybrid plant for a wellness center building in Mexico
Abstract
Buildings are responsible for almost half of the worldwide final energy consumption. A large amount of this energy is produced by fossil fuels. Solar energy can effectively produce the thermal and electric energy consumed by buildings, using hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) technologies. This document presents a performance evaluation of a hybrid low concentrating PV/T (LCPV/T) plant operating in a student health and wellness center building on a college campus in Mexico. The hybrid solar plant consists of 144 parabolic trough-based collectors with a hybridized receptor that includes c-Si PV cells. The results showed that the solar field could cover up to 91% of the hot water demand of the building during the summer season and 32% during the winter period. The peak thermal and electric power were 190 kW and 37.6 kW, respectively. The hybrid system could annually save USD 7,185, accounting for heat (natural gas boiler), and electricity generation. Nevertheless, the payback period was 17.37 years, which was mainly caused by a reduced natural gas price in Monterrey, Mexico. Finally, an annual reduction of 97.9 metric tons of CO2 emissions was reached.