Techno-economic analysis of hybrid PV/T systems under different climate scenarios and energy tariffs

Abstract

This paper presents the techno-economic study of a hybrid PV/T system for the simultaneous production of electric and thermal energy under different climate scenarios and energy tariffs. A simulator was developed and validated using TRNSYS software to perform a comparative energy study of five cities with different weather conditions and energy prices: Mexicali, Soria, Bigene, Fresno and Madison. Our work proposes an extended analysis with sites that have not been studied before, and complements the scope of previous work. Under same requirements of thermal energy for DHW demand, energy production was analyzed during an entire year of operation, using different numbers of PV/T modules. Results show that the city of Mexicali is the place where most energy, both thermal and electrical, is produced. In this same locality a solar thermal fraction of 80% can be reached with only three modules installed. Energy feasibility contrasts drastically with economic benefit, where Soria presents the most attractive investment returns and monetary savings of the scenarios analyzed. Moreover, a comparison of investment returns is presented, considering subsidies in the initial investment, where return of up to 1.8 years result with a 75% subsidy. In addition, a relation of the climatic conditions of the studied cities is presented, such as solar radiation and ambient temperature, in the performance of the PV/T technologies. The conclusions of the study help decision making and planning of financial support programs, since it was considered extreme climates and representative of most of the sites where PV/T systems would be installed.