Engineering, Technology & Applied Science Research Vol. 13, No.

3, 2023, 10680-10684 10680

Development of a Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat

Thermal Energy Harvesting System
Mohamed Nadzirin Hanani
Water & Energy Section, Universiti Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia France Institute, Malaysia
hanani@unikl.edu.my (corresponding author)

Jahariah Sampe
Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM),
Malaysia
jahariah@ukm.edu.my

Jasrina Jaffar
Water & Energy Section, Universiti Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia France Institute, Malaysia
jasrina@unikl.edu.my

Noor Hidayah Mohd Yunus

Electrical & Electronics Section, Universiti Kuala Lumpur – British Malaysian Institute, Malaysia
noorhidayahm@unikl.edu.my
Received: 14 December 2022 | Revised: 10 January 2023 | Accepted: 15 January 2023
Licensed under a CC-BY 4.0 license | Copyright (c) by the authors | DOI: https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.5561

ABSTRACT
This research aims to develop a Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat Thermal Energy Harvesting System that
integrates Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) with a solar PV system. The main focus is given to the
development of the hybrid solar and waste heat released from the solar panel by using the TEG system.
This hybrid system consists of photovoltaic (PV) cells to absorb the solar energy and the TEG attached to
the back of the panel to absorb heat waste and convert it into usable electricity. The PV cell and the TEG
are integrated with each other in order to obtain maximum energy and increased system efficiency. The
experimental results show that the maximum output voltage produced from the solar PV is 20.37V and the
maximum output current generated is 203.72mA. The maximum output voltage obtained from the TEG is
18.92V and the maximum current produced is 189.265mA. This experimental result shows that the
maximum voltage and current produced from solar and waste thermal heat from PV panels can be used to
charge and to power up portable electronic devices. More efficiency is accomplished by combining the
TEG to absorb waste heat loss from the PV cell, thus improving the performance of the PV panel system.

Keywords-solar and waste heat thermal energy harvesting system; thermoelectric generator (TEG);
photovoltaic (PV) cell; solar, thermal

I. INTRODUCTION energy [2]. There are several ways and types of new
implementations of solar power that continue to increase as the
Energy harvesting is the process by which the energy price of harvesting solar power is reduced. The heat produced
produced from other sources is derived, collected, and during the operation of the electrical equipment will usually be
sometimes stored in banks or batteries for future use. Solar wasted and released to the environment [3]. By an energy
energy nowadays is very popular for its promising power harvesting system, a certain amount of heat can be utilized and
production. However, even though its capability in producing a recycled to convert the energy from the waste heat into
large amount of power is undeniable, the temperature of the electrical energy [4]. The thermoelectric generator (TEG) has
panel gradually increases from time to time due to continuous been proposed to be intergraded with photovoltaic cell (PV) in
hit by the solar irradiation [1]. While the solar panel is a hybrid system [5]. The purpose of this system is to analyze
harvesting energy, the high temperature on the surface of the the output and develop a suitable design that improves energy
panel leads in performance de-escalation. Many recent research harvesting. TEG devices are widely used in studies of thermal
projects have been conducted in renewable energy focused on energy development [6]. TEG was designed by applying the
increasing the chances to harvest, store, and distribute the solar concept of Seebeck effect which was described back in 1820

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[7]. Thomas Seebeck, who came with the theory, stated that as shown in Figure 2. The system begins with the PV panel that
thermal energy could be harvested into direct electrical energy generates electric power by converting the incident light rays
achieved across the thermal difference between two dissimilar from the sun into a flow of electrons [17]. In this system, the
metals [8]. TEG is a temperature-dependent device, where direct current electricity produced by solar cells will be used to
bigger thermal gradients possess higher capability to generate supply current in an electrical appliance or to recharge a battery
electricity [9]. To achieve the desired electrical output, the [18]. The hot side of the TEG will be placed directly under the
temperature gradient between the hot and cold sides of the PV panel and the cold parts will be directly placed on the heat
TEG are maintained by heat from PV cells and the cooling part sink [19]. The bottom part of the TEG is attached with the
from the flowing coolant in the heat sink [10]. This system is a liquid cooler radiator to create temperature gradient between
hybrid system between photovoltaic (PV) and thermoelectric the hot and cold sides of the TEG [20]. The TEG is connected
generator (PV/TEG) [11]. When the solar panel is exposed to to the boost converter to increase the output voltage to its
the sun, it will convert heat into electricity while thermal losses optimum value [21]. It is then connected to a USB port
are produced [12]. As the temperature is getting higher, solar charging by a direct current DC USB connector. The PV cell is
efficiency drops by 0.5% per degree. The purpose of applying connected to solar charge control and directly charges the 12V
TEGs is to absorb the excess heat from the panel in conjunction battery. The output can be delivered using a socket that is
with generating direct electricity [13]. The PV panel gets a installed in the control panel. The hybrid PV/TEG system can
source of energy from the solar radiation and the TEG from the be used to charge and to power up a notebook, laptop, or any
backside of the PV panel which is very hot due to heat loss other portable electronic device [22].
[14]. The heat delivered from the bottom part of the PV module
to the hot side of the TEG module can be utilized in the TEG
module to produce electricity directly [15]. The Seebeck effect
concept defines that, when there is a difference in temperature
from each side of the module, electrical energy can be
produced. The basic TEG unit consists of p-type and n-type
semiconductor elements which are connected electrically in
series and thermally in parallel [16].
Fig. 2. Detailed architecture flow of the Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat
II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Thermal Energy Harvesting System.
There are several methods for harvesting solar energy such
as PV cells, solar thermal, combined systems, thermoelectric B. Design and Development
devices, and the recent integrated hybrid systems of PV cells The design concept in this research involved a PV panel, a
and TEG. This research considers developing and designing a cooling system, and a solar control panel. The framework is
Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat Thermal Energy Harvesting designed to place the solar panel on top with an angle of 15°.
System that integrates TEG with PV cells. PV sells convert The framework has 90cm height and the top and base
sunlight directly into electricity. When sunlight hits a cell, the dimensions are 60cm×40cm. The solar panel is placed on top
energy knocks electrons free of their atoms, allowing them to of the framework and the TEG is placed under the solar panel
flow through the material. The block diagram of the Hybrid along with the cooling system to provide temperature
Solar and Waste Heat Thermal Energy Harvesting System difference between the hot and the cold sides. The size of the
shown in Figure 1 is the basic model that defines the structure TEG used is 4cm×4cm. There are 3 TEGs used in this research
and operation of the system. with the same specifications. The control panel is designed to
place the circuit breaker, socket outlet, inverter, terminal block,
USB port charging, solar charge controller, and 12V battery. A
rechargeable 12V lead-acid battery is used as a power supply
which is also recharged by the PV panel. The circuit breaker is
used to protect the electrical circuit from any damage caused by
excess current from an overload or short circuit. The terminal
block is used to connect all the wires. There are 10 terminal
blocks used in this study. The solar charge controller is used to
supply voltage from the PV panel to the rechargeable lead-acid
battery and prevent from overcharges.
Figure 3 shows the block diagram of the Hybrid Solar and
Waste Heat Thermal Energy Harvesting System. The PV cells'
output is directly connected to the solar charge controller to
Fig. 1. Block diagram of the Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat Thermal
recharge the battery. It will directly be connected to the inverter
Energy Harvesting System that integrates TEG with solar PV cells. to convert the direct current to alternating current so that it can
be used at the socket outlet to supply power for any electrical
A. System Architecture appliance. The resulting DC (direct current) electricity is then
The system architecture flow consists of the main system sent to a power inverter for conversion to AC (alternating
components and the system development and implementation current). Figure 4 shows the hardware implementation of the

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Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat Thermal Energy Harvesting radiator. Table I shows all the parts and pieces of equipment
System. Three TEGs connected in series are attached under the used in this research.
PV cells to get the thermal heat and to generate electricity. That
heat would be otherwise dissipated [23]. The TEGs are
attached by using thermal grease to avoid the presence of any
air gaps and to obtain maximum heat transfer [24]. A copper
plate is also attached with TEG to increase the heat transfer
from the liquid cooler pump. The output from TEG is directly
connected to the boost converter to step up the output voltage
and is finally connected to the USB charging port. The type of
boost converter used is XL6009 (Figures 5-6).

Fig. 5. XL6009 boost converter.

Fig. 6. XL6009 module circuit diagram.

Fig. 3. The overall Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat Thermal Energy
Harvesting System. TABLE I. SYSTEM COMPONENTS
No. Component
1 Photovoltaic cells (50W)
2 Thermoelectric generator (TEG)
3 Liquid cooler radiator
4 Boost converter
5 Cooler fan
6 Copper plate
7 Control panel
8 Battery 12V
9 Inverter
10 Terminal block
11 Solar charge controller
12 Circuit breaker
13 Socket outlet
14 USB charging port

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Figure 7 shows the data collection during experimentation.
It shows that the solar panel is capable of generating higher
output voltage compared to the TEGs [26]. The output voltage
Fig. 4. Hardware implementation of the system. from the TEGs only depends on the temperature of the solar
panel to generate electricity. As the solar panel gained higher
The Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat Thermal Energy temperature at 12.05 pm, the voltage of the TEGs increased
Harvesting System is designed to achieve the minimum input drastically. At 12.55 pm, the graph shows a decrease in solar
voltage from 5V to an optimum output voltage up to 25V voltage but the TEGs were still generating high voltage. This
which is suitable for the application of small electrical event occurred as the temperature of the solar panel had
appliances. The liquid cooler radiator which is placed under the exceeded the limits and performance degradation took place.
solar panel is used to reduce the temperature of the cold side of The constant line for both TEG and solar panel Voltages in
the TEG and increase the gradient temperature between the hot Figure 7 is due to the integration of voltage during this time
and cold sides to maximize the output [22]. The design of the interval as the TEG voltage is integrated with the solar panel
liquid cooler radiator consists of a pump, two pipes, and a voltage. The full line on the graph shows that this system was
able to increase the TEG's voltage generation by using 3 TEGs

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connected in series, a voltage booster, and a cooling pump for Figures 7-8 show that the highest voltage from 3 TEGs in
higher thermal gradient across the TEGs. series is 18.92V and the current is 189.27mA. The highest
optimum temperature is 37.29°C and the output power
generated is 3.58W. The highest gradient temperature between
the cold and hot side of TEGs is 20.87°C. From these data, it
can be concluded that the voltage from TEGs is expected to get
12V and the project target output voltage is finally achieved.
The gradient temperature between the cold and the hot side of
the TEGs shows a very good result, increasing voltage and
current output.
IV. CONCLUSION
A Hybrid Solar and Waste Heat Thermal Energy
Harvesting System is produced in this study by integrating the
thermoelectric devices into PV systems. The overall
Fig. 7. The output voltage of TEGs and PV panel.
performance of the hybrid energy harvesting system and the
efficiency of the thermal management in the PV solar panel
have been improved. The integration of TEGs with the PV
panel, utilizing the waste heat, generated greater output voltage
from the harvesting system [27, 28]. The thermoelectric cooler
is used to remove the waste heat from the PV and increase the
temperature difference between the hot and the cold side of the
TEGs [29]. The main objective of this research has been
achieved and the expected output voltage was produced. The
highest recorded voltage from the PV cells is 20.37V and the
highest voltage produced from 3 TEGs in series is 18.92V. The
contribution of this research is the creation of another
renewable energy harvesting system while maintaining the
quality and performance of the output voltage and power at low
cost.

Fig. 8. The output current of TEGs and PV panel. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This research was conducted at the Universiti Kuala
Lumpur – Malaysia France Institute (UniKL-MFI) laboratory.
The authors acknowledge the financial support from UniKL-
MFI and the provision of the laboratory and the required
equipment.
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