building-integrated solar

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 European research team has sought to combine for the first time perovskite solar cell technology with textile ceramic in a novel building-integrated photovoltaic device. The result is a solar brick with potential for future commercialiation, according to its creators.

A Belgian-Dutch research team has defined new design guidelines for photovoltaics integrated in buildings or infrastructures. The proposed approach, which was validated through two demonstators, supports the manufacturing of semi-fabricates for integrated photovoltaics applications by enabling effective communication between project developers and module producers.

The new multifunctional PV window concept aims to produce electricity while providing over-heating protection for better indoor thermal and visual comfort. It consists of an insulating glazing unit with bifacial crystalline silicon solar cells strips and embedded venetian blinds that act as reflectors for the rear side of the cells.

ClearVue Technologies, an Australia-based supplier of smart building materials, is providing a combination of its building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology and solar cladding panels in a prefabricated house trial trial.

Paxos Solar has developed a new glass-glass PV tile that integrates with heat pumps, featuring Longi’s back-contact solar cells. The 44 W, 59.5 cm x 48 cm tile can also produce heat for residential systems.

Eternit S.A., a Brazilian construction materials supplier, says it has developed a 50 W panel for building-integrated PV (BIPV) applications. The 1 kg module features monocrystalline passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) tech.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) says that building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) could be key to help decarbonize cities in the Netherlands, but it warns that the needs of the solar and construction sector must be bridged.

Fischer has developed a clamp-free fastening system for facade PV systems, with a mounting solution that requires minimal gaps between modules. The company says it is simple to install and dismantle.