BIPV

As the global transition toward sustainable energy intensifies, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) has emerged as a critical innovation in merging renewable energy with architectural design. The recently published guidebook “Building-Integrated Photovoltaics: A Technical Guidebook,” edited by IEA PVPS Task 15 experts Nuria Martín Chivelet, Costa Kapsis, and Francesco Frontini, offers a comprehensive resource for architects, engineers, and urban planners looking to integrate BIPV into the built environment. This article explores the book’s key insights, including applications, challenges, and future pathways.

To make it easier to adopt building integrated PV (BIPV) as a glazing material, a group within the IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) has tackled the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) calculation for BIPV. It is part of IEA PVPS Task 15 international standardization efforts.

Taking inspiration from the 3D photonic structures on a Morpho butterfly’s shimmering blue wings, scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have developed colored solar panels that can be incorporated into a building’s exterior practically invisibly while maintaining high efficiency.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new flexible modules have an efficiency of up to 20.1% and a weight of only 7.5 kg, or 2.92 kg/m2. The new products have purportedly a light transmittance of over 91% and “ultra-high” UV blocking ability.

The Chinese perovskite solar cell and module maker said its custom-designed double-glass perovskite modules measure 1,200 mm x 1,000 mm and achieve a light transmittance of around 40%.

Next Energy said its 101.6 cm x 152.4 cm laminated transparent power-generating windows were produced with its pilot production line.

The Canadian building-integrated PV manufacturer has launched semi-transparent and opaque solar PV railing systems for balconies or walkways, for retrofit or new buildings. The products are delivered with support bars, concealed cabling and a choice of mounting systems.

Scientists have compared conventional PV modules to self-made BIPV panels with thicker, patterned glass. They tested them both under standard conditions and outdoors under Korean summer conditions. Yield was found to be only 0.5% lower in the textured BIPV module.

Climacy, a building integrated PV manufacturer, has launched a new semi-transparent 400 W glass-glass panel that is suitable for use in roofs or facades in residential, industrial and commercial buildings. When used as a roof or wall componentt, the 20% transparent panels reportedly allow more natural light into interior spaces than conventional PV designs.

Estonia’s Roofit.Solar has developed new building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels with an effective width of 470 mm, offering power outputs of 120 W or 180 W.