Does Energy Yield Increase when Conjoining a PV Module with a Thermoelectric Device

For photovoltaic devices to optimally operate in high-temperature conditions, a solution must be found that addresses the device's efficiency dependence on temperature. During operation, photovoltaic devices heat up and emit low-grade waste heat, in turn, reducing performance. By affixing a thermoelectric generator to a photovoltaic device, the waste heat is utilized to generate additional electricity and partially offset photovoltaic performance loss. Through physics-driven simulation, we examine the performance and energy yield improvements that a conjoined photovoltaic and thermoelectric generator exhibits under varying operating conditions.