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Recently, greater research attention has focused on the application of solar power generation technology in building construction to reduce building energy consumption and encourage increased sustainable development. An emerging solar power generation technology is in the use of Building-integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs), where photovoltaic materials are used to replace conventional building materials. In order to map the development of BIPV technology over time and explore technology paths, this study retrieved a total of 4914 patents dated from 1972 to 2016 from the Derwent Innovations Index patent database. This study applies patent co-citation analysis to map the patent co-citation network in three periods based on Ucinet tool. Evolutional path and three key technology frontiers were identified using Social Network Analysis (SNA) and text clustering. The results of this study provide an informed reference for future researchers in understanding the historical development of BIPV, as an emerging and important solar power generation technology in the built environment. At the same time, big data of patents are analyzed using SNA and text clustering, which overcomes the limitation of previous methods of frontiers study that have depended on expert opinion or peer review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) combined with phase change material (PV/PCM) system is a hybrid solar system that uses a PCM to reduce the PV temperature and to store energy for other applications. This study aims to increase the integrated PV efficiency of buildings by incorporating PCM while utilizing the stored heat in PCM for controlling indoor conditions. Experiments have been carried out on a prototype PV/PCM air system using monocrystalline PV modules. Transient simulations of the system performance have also been performed using a commercial computational fluid dynamics package based on the finite volume method. The results from simulation were validated by comparing it with experimental results. The results indicate that PCM is effective in limiting temperature rise in PV device and the heat from PCMcan enhance night ventilation and decrease the building energy consumption to achieve indoor thermal comfort for certain periods of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) combined with phase change material (PV/PCM) system is a hybrid solar system that uses a PCM to reduce the PV temperature and to store energy for other applications. This study aims to increase the integrated PV efficiency of buildings by incorporating PCM while utilizing the stored heat in PCM for controlling indoor conditions. Experiments have been carried out on a prototype PV/PCM air system using monocrystalline PV modules. Transient simulations of the system performance have also been performed using a commercial computational fluid dynamics package based on the finite volume method. The results from simulation were validated by comparing it with experimental results. The results indicate that PCM is effective in limiting temperature rise in PV device and the heat from PCM can enhance night ventilation and decrease the building energy consumption to achieve indoor thermal comfort for certain periods of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption of clean energy technologies is fundamental to equitably support and sustain a burgeoning population, particularly in progressive nations such as India. While solar represents the most ubiquitous energy source, its appropriate harnessing mechanism requires a careful approach and design. Amid the various direct and indirect electricity generation techniques available, building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) carries immense potential to harness solar energy integrated as a component of the building envelope. It is an onsite-distributed power source, offering advantages of size and scale variability, modularity and building integrability. To be energy efficient as a building envelope, BIPV would need to passively regulate the responsiveness of the building envelope to the external environment to accomplish the prime function of a building, i.e. to provide (natural) indoor thermal-comfort for conducive and productive living. However, the requirements for climate-responsive building design may infringe upon those required for optimal PV performance. Besides technological considerations attributed to varying PV (material-dependent) performance efficiencies and high initial investment, a pragmatic approach should also integrate social, environmental and economic factors for successful adoption of a BIPV. It would, thus, require addressing the design requirements for energy-efficient building performance, effective PV integration and societal feasibility. This article attempts to provide an integrability framework encompassing the climate responsiveness factors influencing BIPV performance, which can support further research in this arena. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]