Abstract
<jats:p>This paper examines the performance of hybrid solar photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) modules, which are more energy efficient than conventional solar photovoltaic modules due to the ability to cool the solar cells by removing heat from the heated solar cells and by generating additional thermal energy. It is shown that at low ambient temperatures, below a certain critical value, the temperature of the solar cells in a PVT module can be higher than that of a conventional photovoltaic module (the reverse process). The critical ambient temperature is examined for various PVT module designs (glazed, unglazed, with and without a thermally insulated back layer). It is experimentally shown that the critical temperature for a PVT module without an insulated back layer is 21°C, while for a module with an insulated back layer it is 25°C. To eliminate the negative effect of solar cell heating, it is necessary to consider the operating ambient temperatures and to select appropriate PVT module designs and heat removal modes.</jats:p>