This article reports on the evaluation of the short and long-term electrical performance of a photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) system coupled with borehole thermal energy storage (BTES). This assessment was conducted using a computer simulation of a PVT system installed on a small office building in two extreme climate zones in the United States. In each climate, two different scenarios were considered: (i) a PVT system coupled to a BTES with no ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP), and (ii) a PVT system coupled to a BTES with a GCHP. The system simulation results reveal significant improvements in PVT cell efficiency in the system without a GCHP compared with conventional PV panels. These improvements were reported to be as high as 4.1 and 4.7% in cold and hot climates, respectively. Moreover, a coupling GCHP showed a negligible impact on the PVT cell performance, which implies the feasibility of coupling the two technologies to the same BTES.

Fellow- Climate and Sustainability
Mohammad is a fellow in KAPSARC’s Climate & Sustainability program. His research focuses on energy efficiency in buildings, energy demand,…
Mohammad is a fellow in KAPSARC’s Climate & Sustainability program. His research focuses on energy efficiency in buildings, energy demand, and energy modeling. He is currently leading the Residential Energy Model (REEM), which simulates residential energy demand and estimates the impact of energy efficiency programs on Saudi Arabia’s housing sector. Mohammad holds an M.Sc. in Renewable and Clean Energy from the University of Dayton, Ohio, and an M.Sc. in Economics from Purdue University, West Lafayette.
Expertise
- Energy Efficiency
- Energy Demand
- Modeling
Publications See all Mohammad Aldubyan’s publications

Ground-Source Air Conditioning: A Potential Solution for Saudi Arabia’s Building Sector
This article reports on the evaluation of the short and long-term electrical performance of a…
8th April 2025
Ratifying the Kigali Amendment Challenges and Opportunities for Saudi Arabia
This article reports on the evaluation of the short and long-term electrical performance of a…
23rd January 2025