Impact of electric circuit configurations on power generation in a photovoltaic and thermoelectric generator hybrid system

Abstract

Energy harvesting using a thermoelectric generator (TEG) leverages the Seebeck effect to generate electricity from temperature differences. As the demand for electrical energy rises, especially in zero-energy buildings and building conversions, there is an increasing focus on recovering untapped energy sources within buildings. This study aims to analyze the thermal characteristics of a hybrid energy harvester that integrates a TEG with phase change materials (PCM), with the objective of recovering and generating power from wasted sunlight and heat within a building envelope. Additionally, we experimentally investigated the circuit configuration of the TEG to optimize energy harvesting. The experimental results highlighted distinct power generation patterns depending on the TEG's location. To achieve maximum power output, TEGs exhibiting similar power generation patterns should be configured in series to ensure optimal performance. Implementing the maximum power circuit configuration resulted in a 70 % increase in power generation compared to a non-optimized configuration. Moreover, configuring an equal number of TEGs in series yielded a 94.4 % increase in power generation compared to a scenario where all TEGs were connected in series on a single panel.