August 28 seminar: Behnam Roshanzadeh

August 28, 2026

An introduction to evacuated Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T) systems

Behnam Roshanzadeh, New Mexico Public Regulation Commission

3:00 pm, UNM Centennial Engineering Center, Room 1026
Online Guests: Contact Prof. Santhanam (bsanthan@unm.edu) for a Zoom link

Abstract: In conventional PV systems, most of the solar energy is dissipated into the environment as heat, since less than 20% of the total solar energy is converted to electricity. Additionally, the heat flux from solar radiation increases the surface temperature of PV cells, which adversely affects their electrical efficiency. Accordingly, hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) systems have been developed to utilize the waste heat from PV cells for various thermal applications, such as domestic hot water, space heating, and desalination. These hybrid systems often exhibit high total efficiency because they can produce heat and electricity simultaneously. However, most PVT systems suffer from low thermal performance compared to solar thermal collectors, as the absorber plate in PVT systems is partially or fully covered by PV cells.

This research focuses on improving the thermal performance and efficiency of PVT systems by introducing the concept of Evacuated Photovoltaic Thermal systems. Comprehensive research was conducted by designing, simulating, and constructing evacuated PVT systems to evaluate their thermal performance under different solar irradiance levels and working fluid temperatures for various thermal applications.

Bio: Speaker Bio: Dr. Behnam Roshanzadeh graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Mexico in December 2025. His research focuses on solar thermal technologies, thermal power plants, energy storage, and system-level modeling and optimization. He has published several papers in these areas and continues to be actively involved in research.

Dr. Roshanzadeh currently works for the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) as a Grid Technology Specialist. His role includes evaluating renewable energy technologies and energy storage scenarios to support reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the state of New Mexico.