The Use of Amorphous Silicon in Fabricating a Photovoltaic-Thermal ...

PV/T Issues
• Reduced thermal efficiency:
• PV/T collected 33% less thermal energy than STC [Zondag et al, 2002]
• High Emissivity of PV Module:
• PV laminates ~ 90% emissive in IR [Zondag et al, 2004]
• Low-E coatings low transmission in visible spectrum (60-70%) [van Helden et
al, 2004]
• Lower incident radiation on STC:
• PV conversion
• Reflective back rear foil
• AR coating not optimized for IR radiation
• Reduced electrical efficiency:
• PV temperature covered PV/T 20ºC higher than stand-alone PV
[Sandnes et al, 2002]
• Higher Cost:
• 1m 2 PV/T costs $(CAN)29 MORE than 1m 2 PV + 1m 2 STC
[Bakker et al, 2005]
University of Toronto