building integrated photovoltaics

Researchers in Spain have designed a PV window that performs active daylighting management while producing electricity. The system can reportedly ensure high power density, as it harvests all the direct light incident on the aperture area.

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.

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.

An international research team has analyzed which factors contribute to fire accidents in PV facades and has found that the distance between the wall and the photovoltaic modules plays a crucial role. The scientists also said project developers should attentively consider what combustible materials are embedded in the wall cavity.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) says the building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) industry is facing significant challenges due to a lack of clear testing and certification procedures. It says international consensus and the harmonization of certification processes will be crucial for widespread adoption of the technology.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (Fraunhofer UMSICHT) say their new facade combines PV modules, weather protection, and thermal insulation. It eliminates the need for a substructure and uses insulation made from sustainable raw materials.

A fire broke out at Brussels’ first net-zero energy structure, the Treurenberg building, in late October. The blaze, likely caused by building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels on the facade, led to an evacuation, with no injuries reported.

The Chinese manufacturer said the device is based on dense passivating contacts that reduce parasitic light absorption and improve passivation. It used a streamlined manufacturing technique that is reportedly about one-third more effective than TOPCon mainstream technology.

A study by the University of Freiburg and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems finds that deploying color-matching solar modules on a building’s roof or facade further increases social acceptance of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).