Solar air collectors equipped with energy storage functionality are widely utilized to address the mismatch between heat demand and supply periods during winter, effectively facilitating heating needs. However, phase change energy storage flat plate solar air collectors are hindered by inefficiencies, primarily due to the low rate of convective heat transfer and substantial nocturnal energy losses, which considerably undermine the overall energy efficiency of these collectors. In response to these challenges, a forced convection approach utilizing a fan was adopted to augment the convective heat transfer rate, and insulation was applied to glass panes overnight to curb energy wastage. Two solar air collector systems were constructed and examined: a natural convection-based energy storage solar air collector (NCSAC-PCM) and another solar air collector incorporating forced convection with nocturnal thermal insulation (FCSAC-PCM-NTI). Comparative experiments revealed that the combination of forced convection with nighttime insulation in the latter design led to an elevation in the mean indoor temperature by 1.4 °C, alongside a decrease in the temperature gradient variation within the space during the test period. Furthermore, this integration significantly enhanced the energy efficiency by 53.71 % and the exergy efficiency by 11.45 %.