Energetic and exergetic experimental investigation of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar collector under real weather conditions

Experimental results obtained using a photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar system are presented and discussed. This hybrid combination is an emerging technology that combines photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors in one bi-functional component providing both electrical and thermal energy. The main objective of this coupling is to improve the efficiency of the photovoltaic panels by reducing their operating temperatures and recovering the thermal energy they dissipate, using heat transfer fluids (water in the present study). A theoretical analysis of photovoltaic, thermal and photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar systems is presented. Both electrical and thermal performances of the proposed photovoltaic thermal prototype system are evaluated and analyzed under local weather conditions of Essaouira-Morocco (Latitude: 31.51,| Longitude: -9.76). A comparative study in terms of overall energy efficiency of photovoltaic thermal and conventional photovoltaic systems is conducted and discussed. The obtained experimental findings show that, unlike the conventional photovoltaic panel for which the overall efficiency does not exceed 8.22%, the hybrid system makes it possible to achieve a maximum overall efficiency of about 42.72%. The extracted energy?s quality and efficiency are evaluated through the exergy analysis of the proposed photovoltaic thermal system. The electrical and thermal exergy efficiencies recorded for the studied sytem are 9.78% and 3.07%, respectively.