Design of a Solar Photovoltaic Coupled Ground-Source Heat Pump for a Small Residential Community

Ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems are a promising technology for space and water heating due to their high efficiency and ability to leverage the stable thermal conditions of the ground. As a low-carbon alternative to conventional technologies, GSHPs have potential for reducing carbon emissions in buildings. However, widespread adoption of GSHPs has been hindered by challenges related to long-term ground thermal imbalance, which can degrade performance and increase operational costs. To address these limitations, this paper investigates the performance of an integrated solar photovoltaic-thermal and GSHP system designed for a residential community in Wales, United Kingdom. A numerical model was developed to integrate steady-state thermodynamic calculations with quasi-dynamic simulations to evaluate the thermal and electrical performance of the system. Seasonal analyses were conducted to assess thermal recharge, ground temperature response and system efficiency. Results show that solar-assisted ground recharge can mitigate thermal imbalance, improve heat pump performance and contribute to the development of flexible net-zero energy buildings.