The HPVSC technology combines photovoltaic (PV) panels, a greenhouse, and a solar chimney to generate electricity and grow hydroponic vegetables. The PV panels are placed on the greenhouse roof to generate electricity. An experimental solar chimney plant in Greece successfully tested this hybrid approach. A HPVSC plant uses the solar chimney to draw air through the greenhouse and power turbines to generate additional electricity even after sunset. This initial project proposes building a 100,000 sqm HPVSC plant with 5 MW of PV panels and 800 kW turbines at an estimated cost of 10 million euros to generate electricity and produce 4000-5000 tons of hydroponic vegetables annually.

1. Prof Christos D. Papageorgiou
IMPERIAL COLLEGE PhD
October 2019
Green Chimney Technologies .
www.gchimneytech.com
http://eugcc-cleanergy.net/node/945
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2. HPVSC technology- Introduction
 HPVSC technology is a combination of different
functions that are generating electricity with PV panels
placed on the roof of the greenhouse and with the air
turbines of the greenhouse-solar chimney plant
 Also inside the greenhouse of the plant, hydroponic
vegetable are produced
 The following videos are showing the different
technologies that are combined to create a HPVSC
technology plant
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3. Generating Electricity by the air turbine of a solar
chimney plant
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A small experimental Solar
Chimney Plant was built and
tested in mid 2013, near
Lamia, Greece.
It consisted of a 25m
chimney and of a 1000m2
greenhouse with one opening
on its peripheral wall,
housing an electricity
generating air turbine.
The results were very
satisfactory, matched to our
forecasts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GIhwsv4y1k

4. PV panels are placed above ground
leaving free land for planting - AGRIVOLTAICS
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJnXSzvy--8

5. Greenhouse hydroponics…. in the arid zone
SAHARA FOREST PROJECT
https://www.saharaforestproject.com

6. Air up-drafting solar chimney
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=1VDdsqr-Wiw

7. Hybrid PV+Solar Chimney Power Plant basic structural cell
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PV panels (1) are placed besides
crystal clear tempered glass panels (2)
covering half the roof of the
Greenhouse
The rest of the roof is covered by
translucent tempered glass panels (3)
 Thus the Solar Chimney Power Plant is transformed into a Hybrid PV+Solar Chimney
Power Plant.
The hybrid solar power plant can generate electricity during the day using its PVs and with
the air turbines of the ESCP.
Both systems can operate in parallel during the day increasing the outcome of the power
plant

8. An indicative figure of a HPVSC plant
Hybrid PV+Solar Chimney Power Plant made by a set of successive structural cells
 Solar Chimney (1) is up-drafting the air entering into the Greenhouse (3) through the
openings (5) on the wall opposite to the Solar Chimney
 The corridor leading the air from Greenhouse to Solar Chimney (2) and the Greenhouse
side door (4)

9. Greenhouse corner details
Details of the greenhouse shown in the indicative corner
 Side wall opposite to the solar chimney of the greenhouse (1) , openings (2) for the
entrance of ambient air into the greenhouse

10. Solar Chimney details
 The corridor connecting the Greenhouse with the Solar Chimney (1) uncovered
 The Solar Chimney (1) is up-drafting the air through openings (2) on the lower part of its
wall, where Air Turbines are placed
 The corridor leading the air from Greenhouse to Solar Chimney side door (3)

11. Translucent glass panels as mirrors for the PV panels
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12. HPVSC POWER PLANT OPERATION
The PV panels are covering approximately ¼ of the roof of the Greenhouse
The rest of the roof is covered by glass panels (¼ crystal clear and ½
translucent) , part of the solar irradiation on the translucent glass panels is
reflected towards the PV panels increasing their efficiency
The removal of the dust on the PV panels can be secured by a system of
brushes attached to the roof of the greenhouse
The HPVSC plants can generate electricity by their PV panels and by the
electric generators engaged to the air turbines of the solar chimney
The air turbines are rotating forced by the air stream up-drafting through
the solar chimney, while ambient air is entering through the openings of the
front wall of the greenhouse
HPVSC plants demand less storage electric batteries for its possible
uninterrupted operation after sunset, due to the operation of the air
turbines of the solar chimney after the sunset
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13. HPVSC TECHNOLOGY MEANS
SOLAR ELECTRICITY , HYDROPONIC FOOD & WATER
HPVSC plants generate electricity combined with greenhouse
hydroponic vegetable production
The greenhouse of the HPVSC plant is used and for hydroponics,
using desalinated water (in case of the HPVSC plant proximity to
the Sea )
The hydroponic vegetable are cooling, during the warm days, by
the air stream entering by the free openings of the front wall, in
order to replace the up-drafting warm air through the solar
chimney
The HPVSC construction cost is higher than the cost of an ordinary
PV plant of the same rating power, but the HPVSC is generating
more KWh and also has revenues from hydroponic vegetables
Thus an HPVSC plant is cost competitive in comparison to an
ordinary PV plant of the same rating power of PV panels
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14. THE HPVSC INITIAL PROJECT
In order to prove the economic viability, and certify the HPVSC
technology
 Our company, with interested investors ,will proceed into the building
of a HPVSC plant of 100,000 m2, with a solar chimney 50-60m/25m,
PV panels of 5 MW, and Air Turbines of approximately 800 KW
 The construction cost of the plant is estimated to be approximately 10
million EUROs
 The HPVSC plant will generate ~ 9 GWh/year (for PV annual
efficiency ~ 1500-1600 KWh/KW )
 If the plant is near the Sea, will be accompanied by an appropriate,
reverse osmosis desalination unit, for the hydroponic vegetable water
needs
 The HPVSC plant can produce approximately 4000-5000 tons of
hydroponic vegetable inside its greenhouse, cooled during the day by
the Solar Chimney operation 14