Day-Night energy harvesting: Photovoltaics-driven moisture evaporation and absorption for simultaneous 24-hour power and dehumidification

Lei Che; Niansi Li; Wei Wei; Jing Li; Jie Ji; Xudong Zhao; Bendong Yu; Qiliang Wang

doi:10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2025.100078

The Innovation Energy > 2025 Vol. 2 > No. 2 > 100078

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Day-Night energy harvesting: Photovoltaics-driven moisture evaporation and absorption for simultaneous 24-hour power and dehumidification

1.
College of Urban Construction, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, China
2.
Department of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
3.
Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom
4.
Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom

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# These authors contribute equally to this work
Corresponding authors: bendongyu@njtech.edu.cn (B. Y.); qiliang.wang@ustc.edu (Q. W.)
Received Date: January 04, 2025

Accepted Date: March 04, 2025

Published Online: April 11, 2025

The Innovation Energy 2(2), https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2025.100078 | Cite this article

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PUBLIC SUMMARY

PUBLIC SUMMARY
1. Hybrid system enhances PV efficiency by 23% and thermoelectric efficiency by 353%.
  
  Reduces relative humidity from 79.12% to 63.34% in 4 hours.
  
  Generates 1.08×10⁴ to 1.69×10⁴ kW annually, saving up to 498 kW in air-conditioning energy.

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

Building sector is a significant contributor to global carbon emission, primarily driven by electricity consumption and air-conditioning demands. A sustainable pathway toward building decarbonization involves harnessing solar energy to simultaneously generate electricity and address indoor humidity control. In this work, we present an innovative hybrid system that integrates photovoltaic cells, thermoelectric generators, and metal-organic frameworks to enable all-day power generation and efficient air dehumidification. This system leverages the synergy between moisture-induced adsorption/desorption heat from MOFs and the harvesting of solar heat and radiative cooling from PV cells. Notably, the synergistic effects significantly enhanced the PV efficiency of the photovoltaic cell by 23% due to the intensified heat exchange during moisture desorption, and increased the average thermoelectric efficiency by 353%. Additionally, it effectively reduced the air relative humidity from an average of 79.12% to 63.34% within 4 hours. We further demonstrate the application of this hybrid system on building roofs, achieving maximum power densities of 88 W·m^-2 during the day and 2.12 W·m^-2 at night in Nanjing, respectively. Across various cities in China, the system shows the annual power generated ranges from 1.08×10⁴ to 1.69×10⁴ kW, along with air-conditioning energy savings between 29 and 498 kW. This novel approach provides a low-energy and sustainable solution for continuous power generation and air dehumidification, supporting the decarbonization of buildings.
- Photovoltaic cell; Dehumidification; Metal-organic frameworks; Hybrid Energy Systems; Sustainable energy

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Che L., Li N., Wei W., et al. (2025). Day-Night energy harvesting: Photovoltaics-driven moisture evaporation and absorption for simultaneous 24-hour power and dehumidification. The Innovation Energy 2:100078. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2025.100078

Che L., Li N., Wei W., et al. (2025). Day-Night energy harvesting: Photovoltaics-driven moisture evaporation and absorption for simultaneous 24-hour power and dehumidification. The Innovation Energy 2:100078. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2025.100078

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Day-Night energy harvesting: Photovoltaics-driven moisture evaporation and absorption for simultaneous 24-hour power and dehumidification

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Day-Night energy harvesting: Photovoltaics-driven moisture evaporation and absorption for simultaneous 24-hour power and dehumidification

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