Photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) hybrid system for thermal energy harvesting in low-power sensors

Abstract

Nowadays, population growth and increasing urbanization imply a growing demand for energy, which must be achieved while limiting polluting emissions. To meet this dual challenge, the use of renewable energy resources and energy generators is essential. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have demonstrated their ability to directly transform thermal energy into electrical energy through the Seebeck effect. Due to their unique advantages, thermoelectric systems have emerged in the last decade as a promising alternative among other green energy generation technologies. In this regard, the study focuses on a design of a Photovoltaic-Thermo-Electric (PV-TE) Hybrid System for thermal energy harvesting in low power collectors. The power harvested by TEG increases with the temperature and an interesting value close to 7mW is achieved with a maximum temperature of 52 °C of the hot face the thermoelectric system.