A comparative study on photovoltaic vacuum glazing (PVVG) for office buildings in Shanghai

Photovoltaic vacuum glazing (PVVG), which combines photovoltaic (PV) energy generation with superior thermal insulation properties, is widely acknowledged as a highly energy-efficient façade technology. Existing research has primarily focused on specific configurations or geometric parameters, resulting in a lack of comprehensive comparison of different PVVG systems under various design scenarios. This study aims to evaluate the energy efficiency and economic benefits of five PVVG systems to determine the optimal configuration for different orientations and window-to-wall ratios (WWR), for office buildings in the hot summer and cold winter climate zone of China.

Using simulation tools including Optics, WINDOW, and EnergyPlus, the study evaluates the opto-thermal properties and overall energy performance of PVVG systems. The findings reveal that 4L-HPVVG, 3L-HPVVG and 4L-VENT systems at a window-to-wall ratio (WWR) of 70% exhibit the optimal performance in south, west, and east orientations in Shanghai, respectively. These systems significantly reduce net energy consumption (NEC) and demonstrate economic viability, as evidenced by reductions in NEC values by 69.63%, 72.46%, and 65.78% compared to a double-glazing system (DG). The corresponding payback periods are 8.32 years, 7.03 years and 8.10 years, respectively.