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Building-integrated solar thermal systems based on vacuum-tube technology: Critical factors focusing on life-cycle environmental profile

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  • Lamnatou, Chr.
  • Cristofari, C.
  • Chemisana, D.
  • Canaletti, J.L.

Abstract

The present study refers to Building-Integrated Solar Thermal (BIST) systems based on vacuum-tube collectors and it consists of two parts. In the first part, a literature review is presented, including studies about vacuum-tube technology (vacuum-tube/BIST systems, the environmental profile of vacuum-tube collectors, etc.). Critical issues, for example related to the integration of vacuum-tube collectors into the building, are highlighted. The review shows that most of the proposed vacuum-tube/BIST concepts are about façade-integration and there are few studies about the environmental profile of vacuum-tube collectors. As a continuity of the issues presented in the first part, the second part includes a case study about the environmental comparison of a vacuum-tube/BIST system with a flat-plate/BIST configuration, based on life cycle assessment. The systems are gutter-integrated, patented and they have been developed/tested at the University of Corsica, in France. Multiple life-cycle impact assessment methodologies, environmental indicators, scenarios and databases are adopted. The results reveal that the energy-payback time is 1.8 and 0.5 years, for the flat-plate/BIST and for the vacuum-tube/BIST, respectively, while by using recycling these values become 0.5 and 0.1 years, respectively. Energy-return-on-investment, greenhouse-gas payback time and avoided impact during use phase (by adopting USEtox, ecological footprint and France´s electricity as well as with reference domestic-gas-boiler CO2.eq emissions) are also presented. The findings of the present work: 1) are compared with the literature and good agreement is observed, 2) verify that considerably higher impact can be avoided by utilizing the vacuum-tube/BIST instead of the flat-plate/BIST system.

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  • Lamnatou, Chr. & Cristofari, C. & Chemisana, D. & Canaletti, J.L., 2016. "Building-integrated solar thermal systems based on vacuum-tube technology: Critical factors focusing on life-cycle environmental profile," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 1199-1215.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:65:y:2016:i:c:p:1199-1215
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2016.07.030
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    4. Lamnatou, Chr. & Chemisana, D., 2017. "Concentrating solar systems: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental issues," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 916-932.
    5. Lamnatou, Chr. & Cristofari, C. & Chemisana, D., 2024. "Renewable energy sources as a catalyst for energy transition: Technological innovations and an example of the energy transition in France," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    6. Agnieszka Jachura & Robert Sekret, 2021. "Life Cycle Assessment of the Use of Phase Change Material in an Evacuated Solar Tube Collector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    7. Esteban Zalamea-Leon & Edgar A. Barragán-Escandón & John Calle-Sigüencia & Mateo Astudillo-Flores & Diego Juela-Quintuña, 2021. "Residential Solar Thermal Performance Considering Self-Shading Incidence between Tubes in Evacuated Tube and Flat Plate Collectors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Dimitris Al. Katsaprakakis, 2020. "Computational Simulation and Dimensioning of Solar-Combi Systems for Large-Size Sports Facilities: A Case Study for the Pancretan Stadium, Crete, Greece," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-30, May.
    9. Andrea Frattolillo & Laura Canale & Giorgio Ficco & Costantino C. Mastino & Marco Dell’Isola, 2020. "Potential for Building Façade-Integrated Solar Thermal Collectors in a Highly Urbanized Context," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, November.
    10. Nektarios Arnaoutakis & Andreas P. Vouros & Maria Milousi & Yannis G. Caouris & Giorgos Panaras & Antonios Tourlidakis & Kyriakos Vafiadis & Giouli Mihalakakou & Christos S. Garoufalis & Zacharias Fro, 2022. "Design, Energy, Environmental and Cost Analysis of an Integrated Collector Storage Solar Water Heater Based on Multi-Criteria Methodology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, February.

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