Urban pavement-mounted photovoltaics as renewable energy systems for energy generation and microclimate control

Abstract

Climate and energy crises have generated several issues for humanity in recent years, threatening life even in developed countries. This resulted in global regulations promoting environmental sustainability and decarbonisation. In this direction, increasing the use of renewable energy sources will be critical. Thus, increased energy generation from renewable sources necessitates the development of new energy parks, which need a large amounts of free space and significant investments. So, one interesting solution to this problem is to integrate photovoltaics (PVs) into pavements and roadways. This study evaluates the performance of PV pavements through a pilot project implemented in Athens. The study focuses on understanding the thermal behaviour, energy production, and microclimatic impacts of PV pavements under real-world conditions. Experimental measurements were conducted over two phases, complemented by numerical modeling using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model coupled with the building effect parameterization (BEP) and building energy model (BEM) to assess their climatic impact. Results reveal that PV pavements, when clean, can exhibit lower surface temperatures compared to asphalt and conventional dark paving materials. Despite some efficiency losses due to shading and material properties, the PV pavement generates enough electricity to power outdoor lighting in the study area. Although the study reveals a minor rise in local ambient and surface temperatures, coupled with changes in urban boundary layer height, when a significant percentage of the city surface is covered with PV pavements. This comprehensive evaluation highlights the potential of PV pavements as a sustainable urban infrastructure solution, offering dual benefits of energy generation and urban microclimate improvement.