Opportunities for Communal Photovoltaic-Thermal Heating Systems with Storage

Abstract

With 70% of the world’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2060 and 67% of current energy related emissions produced in urban areas, there is a compelling case to investigate the reduction of CO2 emissions from heating in densely populated areas in the UK or other regions with heating requirements. This paper investigates how a single PVT panel system with thermal and electrical storage could reduce heating emissions for a row of terraced houses. The main findings of the study carried out in Dymola/Modelica were that there is potential for greater thermal and electrical output with larger PVT systems and shared communal electrical and thermal storage. Pre-heating the mains water which supplies the hot water tank using the PVT both increased the PVT thermal efficiency and utilisation, and the electrical efficiency. In this configuration, the PVT system was able to supply all hot water demands of a row of terraced houses and supply about 91% of electricity demands.