Hybrid PV/PRC energy system for thermal management of photovoltaics and nocturnal radiative cooling

Abstract

Under high climatic conditions and intense sunlight, the efficiency and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) systems can rapidly deteriorate due to elevated temperatures. Passive radiative cooling (PRC) technology is a common solution for the thermal optimization of PV systems, as it offers an energy-efficient and environmentally conscious cooling process. This research proposes an advanced hybrid energy system that integrates a radiative cooler, in the form of a photonic structure, with a C-Si solar cell. The photonic structure consists of a multilayer design with a SiO2 grating surface positioned on top. This configuration reduces the operating temperature of the solar cell and preserves its transmissivity within the conversion bandgap range.Numerical results, based on thermal diffusion theory, demonstrate that the hybrid design can generate a very high diurnal electricity output of 83w/m2, with a nighttime cooling capacity of 147w/m2. This represents a 10 % and 40 % improvement compared to bare silicon. Furthermore, when the proposed cooler is applied to the front surface of the solar panel, it induces a PRC effect, resulting in a temperature decrease of approximately 3 K. We believe that the radiative cooler can also be applied to other types of solar cells, including those based on thermoelectric generators, to extract electricity from the radiative cooler during nighttime.