Photothermal and Photovoltaic Utilization for Improving the Thermal Environment of Chinese Solar Greenhouses: A Review

Abstract

A Chinese solar greenhouse (CSG) is an agricultural facility type with Chinese characteristics. It can effectively utilize solar energy during low-temperature seasons in alpine regions. The low construction and operation costs make it a main facility for agricultural production in the northern regions of China. It plays an extremely important role in “Chinese vegetable basket projects”. Energy is one of the important issues faced by CSGs. The better climate resources in the northern regions of China make it possible to apply solar energy as a green and sustainable energy source in the production of CSGs. Faced with the increasingly serious environmental problems of the new century, the Chinese government has made a decision and put it into practice to improve the rate and efficiency of solar energy utilization in agricultural facilities. In this paper, we summarize the research on the application of photovoltaic power generation and solar thermal technology in CSGs. The application of these advanced solar technologies has made great progress. With the further improvement of economic benefits and the establishment of relevant support policies and incentive mechanisms, the combination of CSG and solar energy technology will have certain application prospects and satisfy China’s requirements for long-term sustainable development.