Experimental performance of heating system with building-integrated PVT (BIPVT) collector

Photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collector is a single device that combines a photovoltaic module and a solar thermal collector, producing thermal energy and generating electricity simultaneously. PVT collectors produce more energy per unit surface area than side-by-side PV modules and solar thermal collectors. They can be classified into air-type and water-type collectors according to the thermal medium used for collecting heat in the collector. The water-type PVT collector tends to have better thermal performance than the air-type PVT collector. The thermal energy from the water-type PVT collectors can be used in buildings for hot water and heating. It is important to understand the overall energy performance of building heating systems that work in conjunction with PVT collectors to demonstrate the potential of their building applications. In this paper, the energy performance of a building heating system combined with a water-type PVT collector integrated into the roof of an experimental unit is analyzed. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.