Demonstration of a domestic photovoltaic-thermal (PVT)-heat pump system, performance simulation, and economic analysis for different climates

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in heat pumps coupled with photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors to cover the space heating and domestic hot water demand in buildings. However, most existing systems have not been designed for the specific heat demand of the climate they are located, and limited system comparisons have been conducted regarding performance and economy in different locations.

In this study, the performance of a domestic PVT heat pump system installed in Denmark was demonstrated. A TRNSYS model of the system was created and validated with experimental data from the demonstration system. Afterward, it was used to perform a sensitivity analysis on the collector area to achieve the best performance and economy, using multiple indicators.

Three different systems were investigated in three locations: a PVT water-source heat pump system, a photovoltaic (PV) air-source heat pump system, and an air-source heat pump system in Denmark, Austria, and Greece.