Simulation-Based Assessment of Hybrid PV/T Solar Systems for Healthcare Sterilization and Power Supply

The health care industry is under a dire need to seek a robust and viable source of energy that would satisfy the current electricity demand as well as the demand of the high temperature heat that would be needed during the sterilization processes. The paper is a simulation analysis of hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) systems - designed to serve as a single facility to fulfill the energy needs of a healthcare facility in Santhia and its functionality with a conventional, large-scale, photovoltaic (PV) system, with a battery storage. Both of the configurations were simulated using Polysun simulation tool under the same climatic conditions, with the 97.2kWp photovoltaic system having a high degree of electrical self-sufficiency of 53.6% and generating a huge quantity of excess (116871kWh/per year) which was sent to the grid. The system hybrid PV/T system (with a 1.3 m² collector), on the other hand, yielded a total solar fraction of 15.3% to the thermal load and generated ancillary electricity at the same time. The environmental assessment revealed that there was a large CO2 reduction/ abatement of 75501 kg/ year of PV system and 555 kgs of PV/ T system. On this basis, the paper determines that, though large-scale PV installation is the best alternative in the context of optimisation of carbon-emission reduction 1and financial gain made in the environment of the net-metering, the hybrid PV/T architecture is a small but significant alternative to improve the energy resilience by steering essential sterilisation services with renewable thermal power. Thus, the decision on the two systems will be based on the priority of economic profit, emissions decrease, or operational sustainability in the health care sphere. Keywords: Hybrid PV/T System, Solar Energy, Healthcare Sterilization, Energy Resilience, Polysun Simulation, Life Cycle Analysis, CO₂ Savings