Greenhouse Gas Reduction Effect of Solar Energy Systems Applicable to High-rise Apartment Housing Structures in South Korea

In South Korea, we are aiming for net zero energy use apartment home structures. Since the apartment structure in South Korea is generally a high-rise of 10 or more floors, the types of renewable energy applicable are limited to photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar collectors installed on the wall, or a photovoltaic thermal (PVT) hybrid panel combining both. In this study, the effect of PV, ST (Solar Thermal), and PVT systems on greenhouse gas reduction was analyzed using TRNSYS18. All three systems showed maximum CO2 reductions at 35° facing south. PV, ST, and PVT showed CO2 reductions of 67.4, 114.6, and 144.7 kg_CO2/m2·year, respectively. Compared to those values, when installed on a wall (slope of 90°), CO2 reduction is about 35–40% less and about 20% less at a slope of 75°. ST and PVT installed on the vertical wall have a greater greenhouse gas reduction effect than the PV installed at the optimal slope of 35°. Since the CO2 reduction difference among SW, SE, and azimuthal S is within 10%, ST and PVT are recommended for installation on high-rise apartment structure walls or balconies with the azimuthal angle of ± 45° with respect to south.