The SolTerm project, ‘Research into thermal solutions based on phase-change materials (PCMs) to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic panels’, approved under Decree 146/2022 of 7 December, which lays down the regulatory framework for grants intended to finance industrial research and experimental development projects carried out in public -private collaboration between companies and public bodies within Extremadura’s science, technology and innovation system, and approved under the call for proposals of 5 December 2024 relating to industrial research and experimental development projects, arises from the need to find a solution that enables the management of the heat generated during the conversion of radiation into electricity, thereby increasing the electrical efficiency of photovoltaic panels. To this end, research will be carried out into an innovative passive cooling system based on the use of phase-change materials (PCMs), which absorb thermal energy in the form of latent heat, thereby stabilising the temperature of the solar panels during phase transitions.
The overall aim of the project is to research and develop innovative solutions to improve the thermal efficiency and stability of photovoltaic panels, using advanced materials based on phase-change materials (PCMs) for thermal management, with a view to optimising their performance and extending their service life. In this regard, the following specific scientific and technological objectives have been set:
– To investigate and select solid-solid phase-change materials (PCMs).
– To study the physicochemical and thermal properties of the selected PCMs, in order to optimise their integration into photovoltaic systems.
– To design and prototype the hybrid PV-PCM thermal management system.
– To develop and integrate advanced sensors to monitor the thermal and electrical performance of hybrid PV-PCM solar panels in real time.
– To experimentally validate the effectiveness of hybrid PV-PCM systems through thermal and electrical performance tests under real-world conditions.
