IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v27y2025i5d10.1007_s10668-023-04344-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimal energy system configuration for zero energy buildings using hybrid thermal-photovoltaic solar collector

Author

Listed:
  • Mojtaba Babaelahi

    (University of Qom)

  • Ali Kazemi

    (University of Qom)

Abstract

One of the issues in choosing energy systems for residential buildings is achieving configurations that minimize dependence on fossil fuels and the electrical grid. Among available options, designs based on thermal photovoltaic systems are suitable choices. This study aims to implement a configuration for a domestic building to produce all electricity and hot water demands. The proposed system utilizes a thermal photovoltaic system and geothermal energy. To determine an optimal configuration, three approaches were analyzed through simulations. Performance indicators, including efficiency, grid independence, and electricity generation, were evaluated. The results showed that Configuration B, integrating flat plate and concentrating photovoltaic thermal collectors, achieved the highest annual solar fraction of 72% and the lowest grid electricity input of 7130 kWh. It also generated the maximum electricity production of 22,084 kWh annually. Configuration B was selected as the optimal design based on the decision-making criteria of maximizing efficiency and minimizing grid dependence. The analysis indicates that the optimal configuration can effectively meet the energy demands in residential buildings with minimal fossil fuel usage and grid reliance.

Suggested Citation

  • Mojtaba Babaelahi & Ali Kazemi, 2025. "Optimal energy system configuration for zero energy buildings using hybrid thermal-photovoltaic solar collector," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(5), pages 11047-11062, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:27:y:2025:i:5:d:10.1007_s10668-023-04344-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-04344-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-023-04344-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-023-04344-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Shicong & Xu, Wei & Wang, Ke & Feng, Wei & Athienitis, Andreas & Hua, Ge & Okumiya, Masaya & Yoon, Gyuyoung & Cho, Dong woo & Iyer-Raniga, Usha & Mazria, Edward & Lyu, Yanjie, 2020. "Scenarios of energy reduction potential of zero energy building promotion in the Asia-Pacific region to year 2050," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    2. Wang, Jiang-Jiang & Jing, You-Yin & Zhang, Chun-Fa & Zhai, Zhiqiang (John), 2011. "Performance comparison of combined cooling heating and power system in different operation modes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4621-4631.
    3. Fan, Cheng & Huang, Gongsheng & Sun, Yongjun, 2018. "A collaborative control optimization of grid-connected net zero energy buildings for performance improvements at building group level," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 536-549.
    4. Lu, Yuehong & Wang, Shengwei & Sun, Yongjun & Yan, Chengchu, 2015. "Optimal scheduling of buildings with energy generation and thermal energy storage under dynamic electricity pricing using mixed-integer nonlinear programming," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 49-58.
    5. Li, Xian & Lin, Alexander & Young, Chin-Huai & Dai, Yanjun & Wang, Chi-Hwa, 2019. "Energetic and economic evaluation of hybrid solar energy systems in a residential net-zero energy building," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    6. Sandberg, Nina Holck & Næss, Jan Sandstad & Brattebø, Helge & Andresen, Inger & Gustavsen, Arild, 2021. "Large potentials for energy saving and greenhouse gas emission reductions from large-scale deployment of zero emission building technologies in a national building stock," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    7. Sun, Yongjun & Huang, Gongsheng & Xu, Xinhua & Lai, Alvin Chi-Keung, 2018. "Building-group-level performance evaluations of net zero energy buildings with non-collaborative controls," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 565-576.
    8. Lu, Yuehong & Zhang, Xiao-Ping & Huang, Zhijia & Lu, Jinli & Wang, Dong, 2019. "Impact of introducing penalty-cost on optimal design of renewable energy systems for net zero energy buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 106-116.
    9. Wang, Jiangjiang & Chen, Yuzhu & Lior, Noam & Li, Weihua, 2019. "Energy, exergy and environmental analysis of a hybrid combined cooling heating and power system integrated with compound parabolic concentrated-photovoltaic thermal solar collectors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 463-476.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Huang, Pei & Lovati, Marco & Zhang, Xingxing & Bales, Chris, 2020. "A coordinated control to improve performance for a building cluster with energy storage, electric vehicles, and energy sharing considered," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    2. Huang, Pei & Fan, Cheng & Zhang, Xingxing & Wang, Jiayuan, 2019. "A hierarchical coordinated demand response control for buildings with improved performances at building group," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 684-694.
    3. Wang, Yihan & Chen, Tingsen & Khan, Sheher Yar & Liu, Shuli & Shen, Yongliang & Shao, Yingjuan & Ji, Wenjie & Xu, Zhiqi, 2025. "Evaluation and optimization of a novel CPC-PV/T driven cooling, heating and power cogeneration system based on thermochemical energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    4. Huang, Pei & Wu, Hunjun & Huang, Gongsheng & Sun, Yongjun, 2018. "A top-down control method of nZEBs for performance optimization at nZEB-cluster-level," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 891-904.
    5. Ren, Xin-Yu & Wang, Zhi-Hua & Li, Ming-Chen & Li, Ling-Ling, 2025. "Optimization and performance analysis of integrated energy systems considering hybrid electro-thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    6. Huang, Pei & Sun, Yongjun, 2019. "A collaborative demand control of nearly zero energy buildings in response to dynamic pricing for performance improvements at cluster level," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 911-921.
    7. Lu, Yuehong & Zhang, Xiao-Ping & Huang, Zhijia & Lu, Jinli & Wang, Dong, 2019. "Impact of introducing penalty-cost on optimal design of renewable energy systems for net zero energy buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 106-116.
    8. Tao Lv & Yuehong Lu & Yijie Zhou & Xuemei Liu & Changlong Wang & Yang Zhang & Zhijia Huang & Yanhong Sun, 2022. "Optimal Control of Energy Systems in Net-Zero Energy Buildings Considering Dynamic Costs: A Case Study of Zero Carbon Building in Hong Kong," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-25, March.
    9. Chen, Jialing & Li, Xian & Dai, Yanjun & Wang, Chi-Hwa, 2021. "Energetic, economic, and environmental assessment of a Stirling engine based gasification CCHP system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    10. Huang, Pei & Han, Mengjie & Zhang, Xingxing & Hussain, Syed Asad & Jayprakash Bhagat, Rohit & Hogarehalli Kumar, Deepu, 2022. "Characterization and optimization of energy sharing performances in energy-sharing communities in Sweden, Canada and Germany," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    11. Wang, Yihan & Chen, Tingsen & Liu, Shuli & Ji, Wenjie & Shen, Yongliang & Wang, Zhihao & Li, Yongliang, 2024. "Performance optimization and evaluation of integrating thermochemical energy storage with low-temperature driven absorption heat pump for building heating: 4E analyses," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 372(C).
    12. Fan, Cheng & Huang, Gongsheng & Sun, Yongjun, 2018. "A collaborative control optimization of grid-connected net zero energy buildings for performance improvements at building group level," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 536-549.
    13. Yang Zhang & Yuehong Lu & Changlong Wang & Zhijia Huang & Tao Lv, 2021. "Reward–Penalty Mechanism Based on Daily Energy Consumption for Net-Zero Energy Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-18, November.
    14. Sun, Yongjun & Huang, Gongsheng & Xu, Xinhua & Lai, Alvin Chi-Keung, 2018. "Building-group-level performance evaluations of net zero energy buildings with non-collaborative controls," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 565-576.
    15. Tian, Zhe & Niu, Jide & Lu, Yakai & He, Shunming & Tian, Xue, 2016. "The improvement of a simulation model for a distributed CCHP system and its influence on optimal operation cost and strategy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 430-444.
    16. Huang, Pei & Sun, Yongjun & Lovati, Marco & Zhang, Xingxing, 2021. "Solar-photovoltaic-power-sharing-based design optimization of distributed energy storage systems for performance improvements," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    17. Lu, Yuehong & Zhang, Xiao-Ping & Li, Jianing & Huang, Zhijia & Wang, Changlong & Luo, Liang, 2019. "Design of a reward-penalty cost for the promotion of net-zero energy buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 36-49.
    18. Zheng, Siqian & Huang, Gongsheng & Lai, Alvin CK., 2021. "Techno-economic performance analysis of synergistic energy sharing strategies for grid-connected prosumers with distributed battery storages," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 1261-1278.
    19. May, Ross & Huang, Pei, 2023. "A multi-agent reinforcement learning approach for investigating and optimising peer-to-peer prosumer energy markets," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 334(C).
    20. Huang, Pei & Sun, Yongjun, 2019. "A robust control of nZEBs for performance optimization at cluster level under demand prediction uncertainty," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 215-227.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:27:y:2025:i:5:d:10.1007_s10668-023-04344-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.