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Scientists initiated a pursuit of more resilient and long-lasting energy sources due to the continuous deterioration of the environment and the substantial rise in the expense of conventional energy sources. Solar energy is one of the most cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and easily accessible sustainable energy sources. Photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar modules are gaining popularity due to their ability to utilise more solar radiation to generate electric power and heat gain simultaneously. This study reviews recent advancements in PV/T modules, focusing on the dual conversion of solar radiation into electrical and thermal energy. The review highlights significant improvements, such as the use of nanoparticles, bi-fluid circulation, and innovative cooling techniques. The study examined the main categories of PV/T systems, including air-cooled, water-cooled, bi-fluid-cooled, nano-fluid-cooled, and ternary nanofluid-based units. This paper offers an in-depth analysis of various components within PV/T modules, covering aspects such as concepts, materials, and review techniques. However, challenges remain, including the trade-off between thermal and electrical efficiency and integration into existing infrastructure. Despite these limitations, PV/T systems show great potential for contributing to sustainable energy solutions and achieving global sustainable development goals. Future research directions include integrating an artificially intelligent approach for system optimization and expanding hybrid PV/T technologies. [Display omitted] • A graphical summary of the PV/T types is demonstrated. • Sustainability achievements by the PV/T modules are discussed. • Water, air, nanofluid, and bi-fluid-based coolants are summarised. • Ternary nanofluid-based PV/T is reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first part of this paper assesses the state of solar PV in Hungary, considering available government support in terms of policies, targets, and the conducive environment for exploiting solar PV. The study further analyses a 15-year-old 9.6 kWp roof-mount grid-connected solar PV system whiles comparing its performance parameters with similar installations in the sub-region. Findings show that Hungary possesses a relatively high solar energy resource which has not been exploited as expected compared to most of the countries in the European sub-region. Hungary has in place the necessary policies and diverse incentives for the adaptation of renewable energy sources as required by the European Union. However, complexities in land acquisition and legal definitions of PV systems still exist. The installed solar PV capacity in Hungary as of 2018, is 790 MWp. The target of the Hungarian Renewable Action Plan is to have 14.65% of the electricity demand supplied by renewable energy sources by 2020. The experimental study shows that the total energy output from the 9.6 kWp system is 8838.95 kWh for the year of assessment. The energy outputs for the subsystems are 3761.98 kWh, 2608.88 kWh and 2468.10 kWh for ASE (pc-Si), DS2 (a-Si) and DS1 (a-Si) respectively. The annual sub-system efficiencies are 9.8%, 2.9% and 2.8% for ASE (pc-Si), DS2 (a-Si) and DS1 (a-Si) respectively. Thus, 42.6% of energy fed into the grid was from the ASE (pc-Si) system, 29.5% and 27.9% from the DS2 (a-Si), and DS1 (a-Si) respectively. • The state of solar PV in Hungary and the related policies for adaptation reviewed. • Long term assessment of different grid-connected solar PV systems studied. • Performance ratios of studied PV systems range between 55.6 and 77.2%. • System efficiencies vary from 2.8% to 11.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]