Over the last few years, a growing interest has surfaced about the possibility of enhancing solar harvester efficiency by coupling photovoltaic (PV) cells with thermoelectric generators (TEGs). To be effective solutions, hybrid thermoelectric-photovoltaic (HTEPV) solar harvesters must not only increase the solar conversion efficiency but should also be economically competitive. The aim of this paper is to estimate the profitability of HTEPV solar harvesters with no reference to specific materials, relating it instead to their physical properties only and thus providing a tool to address research effort toward classes of HTEPV systems able to compete with current PV technologies. An economic convenience index is defined and used to assess the economic sustainability of hybridization. It is found that, although hybridization often leads to enhanced solar power conversion, power costs (USD/W) may not always justify HTEPV deployment at the current stage of technology. An analysis of the cost structure shows that profitability requires largely enhanced thermoelectric stages, concentrated solar cells, or PV materials with favorable temperature efficiency coefficients, such as perovskite solar cells.

Narducci, D., Lorenzi, B. (2021). Economic Convenience of Hybrid Thermoelectric-Photovoltaic Solar Harvesters. ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS, 4(4), 4029-4037 [10.1021/acsaem.1c00394].

Economic Convenience of Hybrid Thermoelectric-Photovoltaic Solar Harvesters

Narducci D.
Primo
;
Lorenzi B.
Ultimo
2021

Abstract

Over the last few years, a growing interest has surfaced about the possibility of enhancing solar harvester efficiency by coupling photovoltaic (PV) cells with thermoelectric generators (TEGs). To be effective solutions, hybrid thermoelectric-photovoltaic (HTEPV) solar harvesters must not only increase the solar conversion efficiency but should also be economically competitive. The aim of this paper is to estimate the profitability of HTEPV solar harvesters with no reference to specific materials, relating it instead to their physical properties only and thus providing a tool to address research effort toward classes of HTEPV systems able to compete with current PV technologies. An economic convenience index is defined and used to assess the economic sustainability of hybridization. It is found that, although hybridization often leads to enhanced solar power conversion, power costs (USD/W) may not always justify HTEPV deployment at the current stage of technology. An analysis of the cost structure shows that profitability requires largely enhanced thermoelectric stages, concentrated solar cells, or PV materials with favorable temperature efficiency coefficients, such as perovskite solar cells.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
economic sustainability; hybrid solar harvesting; photovoltaics; renewable energy; thermoelectricity;
English
2-apr-2021
2021
4
4
4029
4037
open
Narducci, D., Lorenzi, B. (2021). Economic Convenience of Hybrid Thermoelectric-Photovoltaic Solar Harvesters. ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS, 4(4), 4029-4037 [10.1021/acsaem.1c00394].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/321365
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