4E performance evaluation of PV, PV/Thermal, and solar domestic water Heater for building integration in the Moroccan country

Abstract

In this work, an exhaustive global comparison of the performance of three solar systems, namely, the PV, the PV/Thermal, and the Solar Domestic Water Heater (SDWH), was conducted. The energetic, exergetic, environmental, and economic (4E) performances were evaluated to determine the most suitable technology for the needs of the Moroccan building sector. In this framework, two mathematical models for the estimation of the thermal and electrical performances of the solar systems were developed and validated using TRNSYS and Matlab software. The results showed that from an energetic standpoint, the Moroccan building sector is a fertile ground for the three solar systems. With regard to the exergetic performance, the PVT system has a higher total exergy efficiency of 12% compared to 11% for the PV and 3% for the SDWH system. As for the environmental performance, the PVT and the SDWH systems outperform the PV system due to higher energy production, with a minimum of 351kgCO2/year for the PV and a maximum of 1809 kgCO2/year for SDWH. Economically, the results highlighted the high sensitivity of the economic attractiveness of the PVT and SDWH systems to the subsidized gas price; and the importance of a subsidy policy to help ameliorate it. This study could serve as a guideline for stakeholders in the country to recognize the opportunities and challenges facing the integration of solar technology into buildings.