Hybrid solar-assisted combined cooling, heating, and power systems: A review

The growing concerns of energy sustainability promote the integration and permeation of solar energy with the ongoing progress of combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) technologies. Solar technologies including photovoltaic modules, solar heat collectors and photovoltaic/thermal systems convert sun energy into electrical and/or thermal energies, which can be complementary with the simultaneous power and heat production from CCHP system. This work summarizes various research works on solar technologies assisted CCHP systems. The possible integration methods of solar technologies are presented according to the styles of prime movers in CCHP systems: gas turbine, internal combustion engine and fuel cell. The cost analysis of solar and CCHP technologies is presented to show their potential cost-competitive hybridizations. In addition, the indicators for assessing the comprehensive performances of hybrid CCHP systems are compared from different aspects such as energy efficiency, economic cost, and pollutant emissions. In order to promote the commercial applications of hybrid solar-assisted CCHP systems, more efforts are required in novel energy-efficient and cost-effective technologies, integrated evaluation system, stochastic optimization models and advanced energy management strategies.