Green buffer space influences on the temperature of photovoltaic modules : Multifunctional system: Building greening and photovoltaic

Abstract

This paper focuses on influences of a "green-buffer-space" (GB) on the photovoltaic-module (PV) temperatures. The described results correspond to the first year of research. They are part of an ongoing project-development: "Multifunctional System: Building Greening and Photovoltaic" (MFS). The MFS combines two well-known systems: photovoltaics and green façades. The aim is to evaluate the synergies and benefits of the system on its components − the PV, buffer space (BS) and green facade (GF) − on the building façade (BF). The presented outcome shows the effects of the GB layer on the PV layer. The analysis focusses on two PV systems of the same technology and power output, but with different buffer spaces: one with a GF and the other one without a GF. The first two assumptions were confirmed: the plants can growth behind PV mounted on a façade, and the GB acts as a temperature regulation tool. The GB reduces the PV operating temperatures in increasing ranges, about 1 °C up to 4 °C. Temperature differences increase by outdoor temperatures above 20 °C, i.e. the GB benefits are higher under higher outdoor temperatures. The third one, GB benefits on the PV performance were positive for specific time intervals: when the PV module was operating under extreme conditions, what requires further research.