KIT develops hybrid energy system combining solar, heating and cooling
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology developed a hybrid energy system that simultaneously generates electricity, heating, and cooling from a single surface by combining photovoltaics, solar thermal technology, and passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC). The system uses a transparent cooling layer made of silica substrate coated with polydimethylsiloxane that radiates heat into outer space while allowing sunlight to pass through to a Fresnel lens below that concentrates light onto a photovoltaic-thermal collector. In outdoor experiments, the prototype achieved cooling of up to 6.5°C below ambient temperature, an electrical power density of 60.6 W/m², and heating temperatures of up to 110.8°C. The findings were published in Cell Reports Physical Science.