Photovoltaic (PV) technology is generally perceived as well‐developed but suffers a drop in performance at high temperatures. Faced with this problem, researchers are turning to PV thermal (PVT) systems, which integrate electricity production and thermal energy. Flat‐plate PVT systems are the most widely adopted among the various configurations. This article is distinguished by an in‐depth analysis of flat‐plate PVT systems, drawing on a detailed analysis of recent research. It summarizes the numerous studies on the different layers of PVT systems, providing an overview of advances in this field. The materials used for absorbers and tubes are explored, providing information on their properties and applications and on the research being carried out to optimize their efficiency. The analysis also focuses on heat exchanger, tube, and channel configurations, highlighting innovations to improve their performance. Methods for integrating absorbers and tubes with PV panels, the most efficient types of PV cells, and working fluids for optimizing heat transfer and thermal performance are also discussed. Finally, an overview of software tools for simulating PVT systems and a summary of research on each software tool are provided to help researchers select the most appropriate tools for their modeling. Recommendations for further improvements to the viability of these systems are also provided.

An innovative channel box photovoltaic thermal system was proposed and investigated to overcome the limitations of sheet‐and‐tube‐type systems, including high‐pressure drops, nonuniform heat distribution, and low electrical and thermal efficiencies. The new configuration of the heat exchanger was analyzed, and the manifold height and channel number were varied to determine the optimum design. The effect of solar irradiance on system performance was also calculated. Simulations were conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics, a finite element method, and corroborated against numerical/experimental data from the literature. All systems studied exhibit lower pressure drops than conventional photovoltaic thermal sheet‐and‐tube systems, with the photovoltaic thermal system 5 standing out for its optimum performance, showing a pressure drop of 38.8 Pa and electrical, thermal, and overall efficiencies of 12.66%, 69.79%, and 82.46%, respectively. Furthermore, an increase in irradiance leads to a rise in cell temperature and fluid outlet temperature, as well as an increase in electrical and thermal power, while the electrical and thermal efficiencies of photovoltaic thermal system 5 decrease by 0.84% and 0.05%, respectively, for each 100 W/m ² increase.

Design and realization of a descretized PV system with an improved MPPT control for a better exploitation of the PV energy