This paper presents a novel photovoltaic-Trombe wall (PV-TW). Based on the actual measured weather data in Hefei, a detailed simulation model for PV-TW is presented. The simulation results show that as the coverage ratio increases, the electrical yield and the total efficiency of PV-TW increases, but the indoor temperature and the thermal efficiency of PV-TW decreases. The maximum indoor air temperature difference, corresponding to the lowest and the highest coverage ratio, can reach to 6.8'C above. In addition, as the coverage ratio increases, the electrical efficiency of photovoltaic cell decreases, but the influence of coverage ratio on electrical efficiency is slight, less than 0.5%. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.