Publish Time: 2023-10-28 Origin: Site
The historical background and development process of BIPV
The previous article introduced what is BIPV is and its application scenarios, but why do we strongly recommend BIPV to everyone? The following will bring you the historical background and development process of BIPV, so that you can have a deeper understanding of BIPV and apply it to the construction of our cities and homes.
In the late 70s, for the first time in the history a projects of advance distributed PV systems got sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE). This results in the new wave of PV systems in market by the end 1980s. by that time, the giants such as General Electric, Solarex and Sanyo had developed a prototype of BIPV. In the following recent years, PV technology became increasingly efficient and commercial, all over the US. In 1993, to promote the commercialization DOE initiated a program known as Building Opportunities in the United States for PV. Meanwhile, organizations in Europe and Japan have developed similar programs around the same time. Since BIPV was mainly known for displaying solar applications in sustainable building designs, it was considered a niche product as compared to rack-mounted PV products. Built in 1980, one of the first US homes with BIPV were later integrated into commercial structures such as The 4 Times Square Building in New York City in 2001, where about 15 kW of amorphous silicon BIPV was built. More recently, larger BIPV systems were installed including a 6.5-MWp DC system on China’s Hongqiao Railway Station, completed prior to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. At the simplest level, BIPV systems are adaptations of traditional PV module designs and installation methods; early model designs for different buildings and architectural features were also highly customizable. BIPV products today have more standardized designs and are designed to be compatible with many common building materials. Although market prices for BIPV are still higher than those for rack-mounted PVs, new models deliver lower costs and better performance than previous BIPV systems.
Overall, BIPV's global deployment is limited as compared with rack-mounted PV deployment. The total installed capacity of BIPV (and related semi-integrated PV products) worldwide, by the end of 2009, was estimated at 250–300 MW by some estimates. At that time, this represented about 1% of the total installed power of distributed PV systems.
PV cells used in producing BIPV products are of several technologies which can be broadly divided into crystalline cells and thin-film cells technologies. Both types of module can be produced in different shape and different level of transparency as may be required. There are different types of BIPV which are represented in the figure below, their applications are varied which include building roof, shading systems, external building walls, façade, skylights, PV canopy and balcony. Some of the multi-functionality element that drive PV products and applications are as follows:
Innovation in the field of BIPV has led to development of different product being use in building construction, these products are in form of foils, tiles, roof slate, thin-film roof, bifacial cell, dyed sensitised/semi-transparent cells, solar cell glazing products and modules like conventional PV modules.
BIPV panels can replace traditional roofing materials or be integrated into facades, enabling homeowners to generate their own electricity while enhancing their property's aesthetics.
Offices, shopping malls, and hotels can incorporate BIPV panels into windows, atriums, and canopies. This not only generates energy but also reduces the building's carbon footprint.
Public Infrastructure
BIPV-integrated bus stops, train stations, and airports showcase the technology's potential to power essential services while providing shade and protection from the elements.
Urban Integration
Entire solar-integrated buildings in urban settings contribute to the city's energy needs and serve as a testament to sustainable urban development.
In conclusion, the development of the BIPV systems started in the early 1990’s. This method made significant progress in the early 2000s with zero energy consumption, but this technology is not widely used now due to higher costs compared to conventional PV system. But, because of its high performance, and both heat and electricity output, it is a promising technology. It is obvious that significant developments in this field will occur in the coming years.
#BIPV #Thin film solar #Solar glass sunroom #Solar carports #Solar tiles