Photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar system: Experimental measurements, performance analysis and economic assessment

The main scope of the paper is studying the potential offered by photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar system in Central Italy. The investigation is performed according to two approaches. Firstly, an extensive monitoring of a PV/T solar system was carried out in Forlì (Italy). The PV/T solar plant was remotely monitored and data on environmental conditions, module temperature, cooling fluid flowrate and temperatures and both electric and thermal power production were continuously acquired and stored. The results showed that i) PV cooling produces a negligible increasing in the electric yield (1–3%) and ii) the PV/T solar system is able to reach a simultaneously generation of electricity (835 kWh/m2) and heat (1600 kWh/m2) at a mean outlet temperature over 40 °C. The second approach is the estimation of monthly/annual thermal performances of the PV/T solar system under the monitored climate condition by using ISO 9806:2013 model. The results showed that the PV/T solar system can produce about 1362 kWh/year of electricity for kWp installed, while yearly heat generation may vary between 443 and 267 kWh/m2 depending on mean inlet temperature of the cooling fluid. The paper also reports a techno-economic comparison of the PV/T solar plant with separate photovoltaic and flat plate solar thermal. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd