Analysis of the performances of a building-integrated PV/Thermal system

This research aims to evaluate the energy yields of a water-based Photovoltaic/thermal solar plant integrated into the building envelope, considering different facades orientations. A typical residential building unit, located in the Mediterranean area, is used for carrying out dynamic analysis through the TRNSYS software. The first step of this study presents the experimental validation of the developed TRNSYS model. Subsequently, the optimization of the volume storage, as it affects the operating temperature and consequently and the efficiency of the Photovoltaic/thermal facades, is investigated. Then, for each facade exposure, the energy produced during winter and summer days (i.e. East, South and West) is calculated. It is found that the Photovoltaic/thermal facades achieve a power production that ranges from 3343 to 2287 kWh, for the South and West facades, and a reduction of the energy demands for domestic heat water production of 55.5 and 43.5, for the South and the East facades. The highest self-consumed quota of the generated energy, 68.2%, and the degree of self-sufficiency, 27.4%, is attained splitting the Photovoltaic/thermal solar collectors on the East, South and West facades. These results pointing out as a Photovoltaic/thermal facade may significantly contribute to the generation of renewable energy in the building sector, so pushing the objective of realizing Net Zero Energy Buildings.