Annual Energy Analysis of a Building-Integrated Semitransparent Photovoltaic Thermal Façade

Abstract

This study numerically examines the performance of a building-integrated semitransparent photovoltaic thermal (BiSPVT) façade in Srinagar, India's weather conditions. The primary objective is to explore the façade's potential to reduce building energy consumption while enhancing the electrical efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) modules by effectively cooling their surfaces through adjacent air circulation. A 1-D thermal model, implemented in matlab, analyzes the façade's performance under distinct weather conditions: clear day, hazy day, hazy and cloudy day, and fully cloudy day. The assessment of climatic conditions considers their impact on both building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) cell temperature and the annual energy output in a steady-state, considering the fluctuations in thermal losses. Results reveal the highest electrical efficiency of 18.9% and an overall thermal efficiency of 57.58% in January. Annually, the BiSPVT façade system generated 121.22 kWh/m2 of electrical energy, 61.06 kWh/m2 of thermal energy, 366.23 kWh/m2 of overall thermal energy, and 122.36 kWh/m2 of useful exergy. These findings offer insight into the reduction in the utilization of conventional sources of energy due to sustainable building design and renewable energy utilization.