Against the backdrop of global climate and environmental degradation, photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors have become a hot research topic in solar energy utilization today. A PVT collector is a device that converts solar radiation into electrical and thermal energy and extracts the thermal energy for storage and use by using a heat exchange medium. However, PV cells can only convert a small amount of solar radiation into electrical energy for output, and most of the rest is converted into thermal energy. This thermal energy causes the temperature of the PV cell to rise and limits the output of the PVT collector. Therefore, to achieve efficient output performance, it is important not only to improve the photovoltaic conversion performance of PV cell materials but also to manage the thermal energy. To address the fragmented landscape of existing PVT reviews, this work provides a uniquely holistic and structured overview. Its key contributions include: (1) a comprehensive framework connecting materials, technologies, and applications to serve as a roadmap for the field; (2) a bibliometric analysis to objectively identify research hotspots; and (3) a novel classification of thermal management into “pre-processing” and “post-absorption” strategies. This review offers a new, integrated perspective on the technological progress of PVT collectors.
Bai et al. (Mon,) studied this question.