Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) > Glossary - GW News

29 Apr.,2024

 

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) > Glossary - GW News

Integrating photovoltaics into the building envelope has many advantages. The one slight disadvantage that facade modules achieve somewhat lower yields than inclined roof modules due to their vertical position is made up for by other benefits. In addition to generating energy, building-integrated photovoltaics, or BIPV, can also provide protection from external influences such as weather, sun and noise, or it can serve as the actual building envelope.

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How is photovoltaics integrated into a facade?

Photovoltaic modules can be integrated well into the facade, either inconspicuously integrated into glass facades or as dark or crystalline shiny coloured surfaces to design a building. If the thin-film modules are laminated into insulating glazing, these special panes can be installed in normal mullion-transom facades, for example. The transparency of the glass plane can be individually determined according to the space between the individual modules or even solar cells, which means that additional solar protection may not be necessary, depending on the light transmittance.

Classic PV modules are mounted as ventilated curtain wall facades on metal substructures on load-bearing exterior walls. Large undisturbed wall surfaces as well as continuous parapets are suitable for this. A special case is PV modules that follow the sun (so-called tracking systems), which are mounted in the form of slanted louvres in front of the exterior wall enclosing the room and create a strongly sculptural effect.

Is it possible to use just any PV modules?

PV modules for building integration are usually manufactured specifically for the object. Manufacturers, facade constructors and electricians must therefore be involved and coordinated from the very beginning. Since design, technical and economic aspects have to be considered to the same extent, the planning and execution of facades with integrated photovoltaics require more effort than conventional building envelopes.

Further reading:

The Solar Age - Architect’s database for solar buildings

pv Europe

New Trend of Photovoltaic BIPV

Table of Contents

1. What is BIPV?

Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) is a solar power product or system that is seamlessly integrated as part of the building envelope and building components such as exterior walls, roofs or windows.

Solar power generators can be mounted on the skin of a building, which makes it possible to combine power generation with other functions of the building material. In view of the advantages of PV building integration, more and more countries are setting targets for the use of solar PV in buildings targets, as PV building integration represents a significant advance in the application of solar PV in cities.Solar photovoltaic systems not only save on conventional energy use, but also offset the peak generation of coal and oil as well as the emissions from diesel generators. Energy efficiency is a very important deciding factor for the use of PV in buildings today..

BIPV products transform buildings from energy consumers to energy producers. In this process, it is necessary to combine the product technology with BIPV technology to satisfy the better performance of the BIPV products become a real building element, which can be used as the external wall of the building, such as the roof, façade, skylight, but also to play the role of wind and rain, heat insulation, sound insulation and so on.

Installations of BIPV products are increasing year on year. Engineers and designers are using BIPV products in innovative ways, and manufacturers are creating new products to meet market demand. Some BIPV companies, such as Schott solar, Sanyo, Sharp and Sun-tech, are developing new BIPV products for curtain walls, skylights and windows. In the coming years, BIPV product technology is likely to be widely accepted in other parts of the world such as Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe and South Africa.

2. Comparison between ordinary PV and BIPV

Conventional photovoltaic modules BIPV components More common around the world with significant infrastructure Infrastructure, standards not in place, need to build expertise The efficiency of solar panels has been steadily increasing while prices have been falling Smaller market, many technologies still under development, not competitive with conventional panels in terms of retail price Durable, with a service life of 25-30 years Can replace virtually all exterior materials, thereby reducing the total cost of the building through operating cost savings and energy reductions Limited mounting options, typically roof or ground mounted Aesthetically pleasing and can be seamlessly integrated with the building envelope, resulting in a stylish and modern building appearance.

3. Comparative analysis of different BIPV products

Product Specific Advantage Specific Disadvantage Applications Standard systems for roofs l Suitable for new and old roofs

l Prove application

l Easy to operate

l Very competitive

l Efficient performance

l Limited aesthetic value

l Applicability limited to certain roof types

l Versatility of photovoltaics not fully utilized

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Pitched roof Semi-transparent

System

(Glass/Glass

Modules

l The most unobtrusive, and possibly the most aesthetically pleasing, BIPV solution

l Ideal for facade and skylight buildings

l Attractive cell shape

l Thin film cells have a uniform appearance and are suitable for recessed installations

l Usually customized and more expensive

l Difficult to hide cables

l Cells are limited in size and shape

l Elevation

l Skylights

l Sunshade system

Cladding systems l Can include different colors and visual effects

l Highly efficient

l Lower system performance due to design limitations

l Lower portion of elevation may not be used due to shadowing

l High installation costs

Curtain Walls Solar tile l Aesthetically pleasing, primarily for residential sloped roofs

l High efficient

l Lightweight and easy to install

l Smaller size and longer installation time

l Less cost effective

l High risk of breakage

Pitched roof

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4. Advantages of BIPV

  1. The use of this system does not require additional land area to produce solar energy
  2. Itreduces the power consumption of the premises by providing sufficient daylight and reducing the load on the cooling equipment
  3. Since it is suitable for roofs and facades, it provides a return on investment in the form of solar power generation
  4. The flexibility and diverse applications of building-integrated solar modules provide builders and designers with excellent opportunities to enhance the visual appeal of buildings