HYBRID PV And THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE TO Harvest SOLAR ENERGY More Efficiently

Hybrid power devices are combinations of different power technologies.

Hybrid power plants often contain a renewable energy component such as photovoltaic (PV) that is combined with wind power, thermoelectric power, solar thermal power, or a system like battery storage or solar thermal storage. Thermoelectric generators are semiconductor devices that have no moving parts and convert heat directly into electricity. When combined with thermal storage they can provide electricity round the clock at as low as $0.06 per kilowatt-hour and could achieve 16% efficiency. PV cells convert the UV and visible regions of the solar spectrum while the thermoelectric modules use the infrared region to produce electrical energy. Thus, combining both these systems in a hybrid system provides enhanced performance. While PV panels convert up to 20% of solar energy into electricity, the solar thermal collectors capitalise on the untapped heat energy of the PV system, thereby increasing the energy production efficiency while occupying less space

Global energy demand is likely to increase by 48% in the next 20 years due to population explosion. Currently 80% of energy needs are met by fossil fuels, which emit greenhouse gases that lead to global warming and climate change. Their negative environmental impact is leading to development of renewable energy sources like solar, geothermal, and hydro.