Alternative and Renewable Energy Studies

可再生能源利用研究

Summary of Research

Renewable energy research led by our Renewable Energy Research Group (RERG) is one of our strategic areas in the Department. The research activities include research and consultancy in building-integrated photovoltaic applications (BIPV), wind power generation, hybrid solar-wind power, solar thermal application, solar cooling technology, ground-source heat pumps, landfill gas application and renewable energy application in buildings. We have a team of renewable energy R&D specialists in system simulation, system design, development of innovative products and control devices, and project monitoring. We have completed a number of high-profile research and consultancy projects in Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong. Our Solar Energy Laboratory has been developed recently for research and testing services of advanced solar energy products for the local industry and the industry in Guangdong Province. We are now developing an area of strength in renewable energy research and consultancy for making PolyU the centre of renewable energy studies in South China and Southeast Asian countries.

Solar garden lighting units in Kodoorie Farm	The first BIPV experimental system in Hong Kong

The PV-roof in Kadoorie Farm	The hybrid solar-wind energy system in Guangdong

Examples of Funded Projects

	Project Title	PI/Co-I	Funding Source	Year
1	Development of the Ground-Coupled Heat Pump Technology for Air-conditioning and Hot Water Supply in Hong Kong	Yang Hongxing	RGC CERG	2005
2	Validated Simulation of Heat and Mass Transfer on Indirect Evaporative Coolers for Energy Recovery in Central Air-Conditioning Systems	Yang Hongxing Simon Deng	RGC CERG	2004
3	Developing Effective Use of Small Wind Turbines for Renewable Power Generation in Hong Kong	Yang Hongxing Yu Zhou	PolyU Inter-faculty Fund	2004
4	Development of an Innovative Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Cladding Technology	Yang Hongxing Yiqing Ni	PolyU Dean Reserve Grant	2003
5	Study on Hybrid Solar-Wind Power Generation for Renewable Energy Applications in Hong Kong	Yang Hongxing Francis Yik	PolyU Research Fund	2001
6	Energy Performance Evaluation of Advanced-Window Frame Systems	Yang Hongxing Chan Kwok-Tai	RGC CERG	2000
7	Photovoltaic Integration in Buildings for Solar Energy Applications in Hong Kong	Yang Hongxing John Gilleard	Industrial Support Fund	1997

Supporting Facilities (and Platforms)

In order to serve the renewable energy industry and investigate various renewable energy applications the Renewable Energy Laboratory has been developed for teaching, research and consultancy activities. The Laboratory provides test facilities for testing solar energy devices of solar thermal and solar photovoltaic applications. It can be used to develop and verify computer simulation models for use in energy simulation of buildings. The performance of air-conditioning and ventilation systems can also be tested, e.g. natural ventilation, shading effect and passive solar design of buildings. The performance of a lot of industrial products can be assessed so that a certifying program can be developed to issue standard certifications to local industry. Solar collectors, solar cells, photovoltaic panels, advanced windows, facade claddings, heat storage systems, roof materials, etc. can be tested in the laboratory.

Selected publications

• Brinkworth, B.J. and H. Yang, Thermal regulation of photovoltaic cladding, Solar Energy, Vol.61, No.3, pp.169-178,1997


• Yang, H. X. and John Burnett, Photovoltaics applications for Hong Kong buildings, Asia Engineer, November issue, 1997.


• Yang, H. X., John Burnett and C. Lou, Simulation on natural ventilation of BIPV claddings, HKIE Transactions, No.1, Vol.6, pp.70-74. 1999


• Yang, H. X. and Ji Jie, Effect of BIPV claddings on heat gains of building walls, Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica, No.3, Vo20, pp.270-273, 1999.


• Yang, H. X., Ji Jie and John Burnett, Simple Approach to cooling load component calculation through PV-walls, Energy and Buildings, Vol.31, No.3, pp.285-290,2000


• Yang, H.X. and Z. Zhu and J. Burnett, Simulation study on TIM application in residential buildings in Northern China, Applied Energy, No.67, pp.293-306, 2000


• Yang, H, Zuojin Zhu and John Gilleard, Numerical simulation of thermal fluid instability between two horizontal parallel plates, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol 44/8, pp.1485-1493, 2001.


• Yang, H., J. Burnett, K. Lau and L. Lu, Comparing central and split air-conditioning systems, ASHRAE Journal, Vol.43, No.5, pp.1-3, May, 2001.


• Yang, H., J. Burnett and Z. Zhu, Building-integrated photovoltaics: effect on the cooling load component of building facades, Building Services Engineering Research & Technology, Vol.22, No.3, pp.157-165. 2001


• Yang, H., Z. Zhu, J. Burnett, and L. Lu, A simulation study on energy performance of photovoltaic roofs, ASHRAE Transactions, 107(2), pp.129-135. 2001


• Lin Lu and Hongxing Yang, Wind data analysis and a case study of wind power generation in Hong Kong, Wind Engineering, Vol.25. No.2, pp.115-123, 2001.


• Zuojin Zhu and Hongxing Yang, Discrete Hilbert transformation and its application to estimate the wind speed in Hong Kong, Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, Vol.90, pp.9-18. 2002


• Lin Lu, Hongxing Yang and John Burnett, Investigation on wind potential on Hong Kong islands - an analysis of wind power and wind turbine characteristics, Renewable Energy, Vol.27(2002), pp.1-12 ,2002


• Yang, H., G. Zheng, Z. Wen and D. An, A new phototvoltaic material and a novel technology for solar cells, Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica, No.3, Vol.23, pp.301-307,2002


• Yang, H. X., G. Zheng, D. An and C. Lou, Solar lighting with advanced intelligent controller, HKIE Transactions, Vol.9, No.2, pp30-33.2002


• Yang, H.X. and M. Zhang, A scheme for single-phase grid-connection of photovoltaics, International Journal of Renewable Energy Engineering, Vol.4, No.3, pp.512-515.2002


• H.X. Yang and Z. Zhu, Numerical study on transient laminar natural Convection in an inclined parallel-walled channel, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol.30, No.3, pp.359-367, 2003


• Yang, H.X., Lin Lu and J. Burnett, Weather data and probability analysis of hybrid photovoltaic-wind power generation systems in Hong Kong, Renewable Energy, Vol..28, No.11, pp.1813-1824. 2003


• B. Ai, H. Yang, H. Shen and X. Liao, Computer-aided design of PV/wind hybrid system, Renewable Energy, Vol.28(10), pp.1491-1512 ,2003


• Yang, H. and Z Zhu, Exploring super-critical properties of secondary flows of natural convection in inclined channels, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol.47, No.6-7, pp.1217-1226, 2004.


• Yang, H., G Zheng, D. An, C. Lou and J Burnett, Grid-connected building-integrated photovoltaics: A Hong Kong case study, Solar Energy, Vol.76, No.1-3, pp.55-59, 2004.


• Chan, K and H Yang, Landfill gas utilization for thermal and electric energy cogeneration, HKIE Transactions, Vol.11, No.1, PP.1-6, 2004.


• Lin Lu and H.X. Yang, A study on simulation of power output and practical models for building-integrated photovoltaic systems, ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, Vol.126, pp.1-7, 2004.


• Yang, H and L Lu, Study on Typical Meteorological Years and their effect on building energy and renewable energy simulations, ASHRAE Transactions, Vol.110, Part 2, pp.424-431, 2004.


• Yang, H., G Zheng, D. An, C. Lou and J Burnett, Grid-connected building-integrated photovoltaics: A Hong Kong case study, Solar Energy, Vol.76, No.1-3, pp.55-59, 2004.


• Yang, H, L Lu, Q Zhang and C. Lou, Selections of typical meteorological years and example weather years, and their effect on building energy simulation, Journal of HVACR, Vol.35, No.1, pp.130-133, 2005.


• Fung, Tady Y.Y. and Yang Hongxing, Study on the optimum inclination angle of solar collecting surface in Hong Kong, HKIE Transactions, Vol.12, No.1, p44-48, 2005.


• Yang, Hongxing, Chengzhi Lou and Dawei An, The design and performance monitoring of an eco-building: a case study in Hong Kong, International Journal of Low Carbon Technologies, Vol.1, No.1, pp.59-68, January, 2005.