In The utilization of sustainable energy is now in the spotlight. And the introduction of renewable energy is driven for the concern over the depletion of fossil fuels and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Japan where dependence on fossil fuels remains high, the spread of renewable energy such as solar, wind, geothermal power is essential for the perspectives of energy security and the environmental impact reduction. Especially, the solar power generation has garnered attention as a clean and an inexhaustible energy source, and the power generation efficiency has improved with the advancement of technology. However, the solar power generation faces problems that depend on a weather and sunlight condition. Therefore, we need the new developments to ensure the stable energy supply. In this study, we propose the “photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) hybrid panel” that enables efficient use of solar energy by combining a solar thermal collector and photovoltaic PV panels. The PV panel generates electricity with the visible light from the sun and stores energy in batteries, while the water in the tank is heated with the infrared radiation in this system. In this report, we evaluate the feasibility of the system by measuring the water temperature in the tank and the amount of electricity power generation.
WATANABE et al. (Wed,) studied this question.