Many　studies　have　found　that　the　photovoltaic　(PV)　cell　temperature　plays　an　important　impact　on　the　solar-to-electricity　conversion　efficiency.　Different　cooling　liquids　like　air　and　water　have　been　introduced　to　pass　across　the　PVs　to　reduce　the　cell　temperature,　and　thus　increase　the　electrical　efficiency.　In　this　paper,　the　refrigerant　R134a　is　used　as　the　cooling　liquid　and　the　PV/thermal　(PV/T)　panel　is　coupled　with　a　heat　pump　system　acting　as　the　evaporator,　which　is　expected　to　achieve　a　better　cooling　effect　and　energy　performance　due　to　its　low　boiling　temperature.　Two　different　kinds　of　PV/T　panels,　glass　vacuum　tube　(GVT)　type　and　flat　plate　(FP)　type,　are　proposed　for　the　study　on　the　energy　performance　comparison.　The　results　show　that　the　GVT　PV/T　panel　has　an　average　thermal　efficiency　of　0.775　and　an　average　electrical　efficiency　of　0.089　(based　on　the　reference　efficiency　of　0.12),　which　is　73.4%　and　1.1%　higher　than　that　of　the　FP　PV/T　panel　respectively,　with　the　solar　radiation　varying　from　200　W/m　2　to　1000　W/m　2.　The　GVT　PV/T　heat　pump　system　has　an　average　COP　of　5.6,　9.8%　higher　the　FP　PV/T　heat　pump　system.　The　GVT　PV/T　heat　pump　system　has　a　better　energy　performance　than　the　FP　PV/T　heat　pump　system.　©　(2012)　Trans　Tech　Publications,　Switzerland.