Assessment of Photovoltaic-Thermal (PV-T) system feasibility in Malaysia: A comprehensive study

Malaysia's current renewable energy utilization for domestic usage is primarily limited to photovoltaic (PV) systems only, which leaves a gap in understanding the hybrid PV-Thermal (PV-T) performance within the Malaysian context, encompassing efficiency and economy. This study analyzes and compares three cases theoretically: i) PV only, ii) Solar Thermal (ST) only, and iii) PV-T combined hybrid systems in terms of energy load and economy for a Malaysian household. Return on Investment (ROI) analysis reveals that the PV-T combined hybrid system exhibits superior efficiency with a lower ROI. The study reveals that the theoretical PV-T combined hybrid system can reach up to an overall efficiency of 77.11% with a lowered mass flow rate of the cooling water. The PV-T system also has a favorable payback period of 6.54 years, and the ROI for the PV-T system is 15.30%, while the ROI for PV only is 4.81%. The ST system has an efficiency of 72.38%, a payback period of 7.39 years, and an ROI of 13.53%. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences.