Alternative PV-module structure with increased optical performances for PV-thermal applications

Photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) collectors are hybrid collectors converting solar energy into electricity and usable heat at the same time. In this concept, PV modules are integrated as an absorber of a thermal collector. In most of the cases, the hybrid collectors are made by the superposition of a PV module on the thermal absorber of a solar collector. In this paper, another technique is presented. This technique combines the properties of each PV module and solar thermal in order to adapt them to each other. An alternative PV cell lamination was developed with increased optical and thermal performances. An increase of 2 mA/cm2 in terms of current density with our new encapsulation method was obtained compared to a reference glass/EVA module encapsulation.