Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are photovoltaic
materials that are used to replace conventional building materials in parts of
the building envelope such as the roof, skylights, or facades.
They are increasingly being incorporated into the construction of new buildings
as a principal or ancillary source of electrical power, although existing
buildings may be retrofitted with similar technology. The advantage of
integrated photovoltaics over more common non-integrated systems is that the
initial cost can be offset by reducing the amount spent on building materials
and labor that would normally be used to construct the part of the building
that the BIPV modules replace. These advantages make BIPV one of the fastest
growing segments of the photovoltaic industry.
The term building-applied
photovoltaics (BAPV) is sometimes used to refer to photovoltaics
that are a retrofit - integrated into the building after construction is
complete. Most building-integrated installations are actually BAPV. Some
manufacturers and builders differentiate new construction BIPV from BAPV.
History
PV
applications for buildings began appearing in the 1970s. Aluminum-framed
photovoltaic modules were connected to, or mounted on, buildings that were
usually in remote areas without access to an electric power grid. In the 1980s
photovoltaic module add-ons to roofs began being demonstrated. These PV systems
were usually installed on utility-grid-connected buildings in areas with
centralized power stations. In the 1990s BIPV construction products specially
designed to be integrated into a building envelope became commercially
available. A 1998 doctoral
thesis by Patrina Eiffert, entitled An Economic Assessment of BIPV,
hypothesized that one day there would an economic value for trading Renewable
Energy Credits (RECs).
Forms
2009
Energy Project Award Winning 525 kilowatt BIPV CoolPly system on the Patriot
Place Complex Adjacent to the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. System is
installed on single-ply roofing membrane on a flat roof using no roof
penetrations.
Building-Integrated
Photovoltaic modules are available in several forms.
- Flat roofs
- The most widely
installed to date is a thin film solar cell integrated to
a flexible polymer roofing membrane.
- Pitched roofs
- Modules shaped like multiple roof tiles.
- Solar shingles are modules designed to look and act like regular shingles, while incorporating a flexible thin film cell.
- It extends normal roof life by protecting insulation and membranes from ultraviolet rays and water degradation. It does this by eliminating condensation because the dew point is kept above the roofing membrane.
- Facade
- Facades can be installed on existing buildings, giving old buildings a whole new look. These modules are mounted on the facade of the building, over the existing structure, which can increase the appeal of the building and its resale value.
- Glazing
- (Semi)transparent modules can be used to replace a number of architectural elements commonly made with glass or similar materials, such as windows and skylights.
Transparent and translucent
photovoltaics
Transparent solar panels use a tin oxide coating on the inner surface
of the glass panes to conduct current out of the cell. The cell contains
titanium oxide that is coated with a photoelectric dye.
Most
conventional solar cells use visible and infrared
light
to generate electricity. In contrast, the innovative new solar cell also uses
ultraviolet radiation. Used to replace conventional window glass, or placed
over the glass, the installation surface area could be large, leading to
potential uses that take advantage of the combined functions of power
generation, lighting and temperature control.
Another
name for transparent photovoltaics is “translucent photovoltaics” (they
transmit half the light that falls on them). Similar to inorganic
photovoltaics, organic photovoltaics are also capable of being translucent.
Government subsidies
In
some countries, additional incentives, or subsidies, are offered for
building-integrated photovoltaics in addition to the existing feed-in tariffs
for stand-alone solar systems. Since July 2006 France offered the highest
incentive for BIPV, equal to an extra premium of EUR 0.25/kWh paid in addition
to the 30 Euro cents for PV systems. These incentives are
offered in the form of a rate paid for electricity fed to the grid.
European Union
- France 0.€25/kWh
- Germany 0,€05/kWh facade bonus expired in 2009
- Italy 0.€04 -0.€09/kWh
- Spain, compared with a non- building installation that receives 0.€28/kWh (RD 1578/2008):
- ≤20 kW, 0.€34/kWh
- >20 kW: 0.€31/kWh
USA
- USA - Varies by state. Check Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency for more details.
China
Further
to the announcement of a subsidy program for BIPV projects in March 2009
offering RMB20/watt for BIPV systems and RMB15/watt for rooftop systems, the
Chinese government recently unveiled a photovoltaic energy subsidy program”.
The subsidy program aims at supporting the development of photovoltaic electricity
generation ventures and the commercialization of PV technology. The Ministry of
Finance, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Energy Bureau
have jointly announced the details of the program in July 2009. Qualified on-grid
photovoltaic electricity generation projects including rooftop, BIPV, and
ground mounted systems are entitled to receive a subsidy equal to 50% of the
total investment of each project, including associated transmission
infrastructure. Qualified off-grid independent projects in remote areas will be
eligible for subsidies of up to 70% of the total investment. In mid November,
China’s finance ministry has selected 294 projects totaling 642 megawatts that
come to roughly RMB 20 billion ($3 billion) in costs for its subsidy plan to
dramatically boost the country’s solar energy production.
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