Photovoltaic-assisted Clean Heating System Comparative Study for Rural Northeast China

This study systematically analyzes the technical characteristics, application performance, and economic and environmental benefits of five photovoltaic (PV)-assisted electricity-driven heating systems designed to meet clean heating demands in rural Northeast China. The systems include PV-assisted air source heat pumps, PV-assisted ground source heat pumps, PV–thermal hybrid systems with hot water storage tanks and electric kangs (heated beds), PV-assisted thermal storage electric boilers, and PV-assisted thermal storage electric heaters. Results indicate significant differences in initial investment, operating costs, and carbon emission intensity. Among them, the PV-assisted thermal storage electric heater has the lowest initial investment, the PV-assisted air source heat pump shows superior overall performance for single households and small-to-medium-scale applications, the PV–thermal hybrid system with hot water storage and electric kang is well suited for retrofitting dispersed rural households, the PV-assisted ground source heat pump is optimal for centralized heating in newly built residential clusters with considerable long-term benefits, and the PV-assisted thermal storage electric boiler is appropriate for public buildings such as schools.