Development of a hybrid solar photovoltaic and heat pump system for domestic heating and electricity generation

The system is modelled deploying quasi-steady state heat transfer and thermodynamic equations and validated by the experimental data. The analysis takes incremental time steps to solve for the fluid's temperature changes from the heat pump and the solar PVT panels. The model is used to conduct a parametric study of the system with changes in solar irradiance, size of the water tank and the water flow rate in the PVT pipes (laminar and turbulent) on the performance of the system are analysed.

The techno-economic analysis of the hybrid system is studied, taking into account the effect of government policy on renewable energy such as the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) and Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).<br><br>The thesis concludes that the hybrid photovoltaic thermal heat pump system works and is both technically and economically viable in the UK. The research demonstrates that the system is cost competitive with gas and electrical systems both independently and under UK renewable energy policy.