Experimental investigation of a solar-powered multi-generation system
Abdalmalik NOAMAN, Ibrahim I. EL-SHARKAWY, Ali RADWAN, Fahad FARAZ
Abstract. The growing global demand for sustainable energy and clean water has promoted the development of hybrid renewable energy systems that can meet multiple utility needs. Among these, concentrated photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T) systems have gained importance because they can concentrate the solar radiation and generate both electricity and heat simultaneously. This paper presents the experimental assessment of a CPV/T system that simultaneously generates electricity, low-grade thermal energy, and produces fresh water using direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). The CPV/T system utilizes monocrystalline photovoltaic modules, combined with a copper absorber plate as a cooling system, and is enhanced with aluminum reflectors to concentrate sunlight. The DCMD is tested to investigate the impact of feed temperature, permeate temperature, and permeate flow rate under tightly controlled indoor conditions, utilizing two controlled water circulators. Then, a hybrid integration between the CPV/T system and the DCMD module is conducted and tested outdoors under the weather conditions of Sharjah City, UAE. The results highlight the potential of the CPV/T-DCMD system for use in arid, remote, or off-grid locations where freshwater shortages and energy needs are pressing issues.
Keywords
Low-Concentrated Photovoltaic, Response Surface Methodology, Direct Contact Membrane Distillation Module, Outdoor Testing
Published online 6/20/2026, 7 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Abdalmalik NOAMAN, Ibrahim I. EL-SHARKAWY, Ali RADWAN, Fahad FARAZ, Experimental investigation of a solar-powered multi-generation system, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 67, pp 635-641, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904176-85
The article was published as article 85 of the book Climate Action and Sustainability
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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