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Building Integrated Photovoltaic systems can produce a significant portion of the energy demand of urban areas. Despite their potential, they remain a niche technology that architects and project engineers still find esthetically limited. The dark blue or black color of standard photovoltaic panels is considered inappropriate for restoration projects of historic buildings and represents a major constraint on the development of new projects. This work will provide insight into how the use of optic filters can offer new pathways for architectural acceptance of photovoltaic panels. Optic filters selectively reflect or transmit light by interference and can be designed and fabricated using cost-effective and industrially compatible processes. By using in-house developed ray tracing software coupled with TCAD Sentaurus, more than 400 colors were obtained, and their impact on the opto-electrical performance of interdigitated back-contacted solar cells was studied. Results show a maximum efficiency loss of 1.6% absolute at the perpendicular incidence of light on the range of obtained colors when compared with a standard dark blue solar cell. Simulations for different angles of incidence showed that the current reduction on the standard device could be modeled using a cosine relationship. The colored cells, however, deviated significantly from this relationship. We propose that the angular behavior of any cell (colored or standard) could be simulated by modifying the effective irradiance with scaling factors equal to the ratios of the photogenerated current at any angle with respect to the value at normal incidence. We demonstrate that this approach accurately models the effect of the color filter and allows for an easy transition from a bare cell to an encapsulated one. Due to the spectral effect of the filter, we developed both a spectrally resolved optical model and a two-dimensional finite volume transient thermal model. In case of the optical model, we demonstrate an accuracy in the prediction of the reflectance produced by the color with values of mean bias error (MBE) between 2.0% and 3.9%. As for the thermal model, it was validated by first analyzing a standard model under conditions of nominal operating cell temperature and then comparing its results with published scientific literature. Later, we compare its prediction against 2 weeks of measurements. In both cases the thermal model proves an adequate accuracy, yielding differences below 1.5°C with respect to other scientific works and an MBE value of 0.89°C as well as a root-mean-square error value of 2.10°C for the entire measurement period. With the validated models, we studied the effect of the encapsulation on the color perception. We present two options of color filters. The first one produces relatively low reflectance losses and presents relative annual direct current (DC) energy losses of up to 6.4% for Delft, in the Netherlands, and up to 5.9% for Alice Springs in Australia. However, this first option has very poor color brightness. The second studied filter produces highly saturated bright colors. Improving brightness can increase the annual DC relative losses up to 13.7% and 13.5% for Delft and Alice Springs, respectively. Overall, we demonstrate that colored filters based on multilayer optical stacks are a versatile option for coloring cells that allow a good compromise between esthetics and performance.

During the past few years a significant effort has been performed in order to promote the use of renewable energy sources. However, one of the main barriers for a mature commercialization is due to the unpredictability of the renewable power production, mainly in case of wind and solar energy. Unfortunately, electric storage devices are often poorly profitable. Therefore, some more stable renewable energy systems must be designed. In this framework, this paper presents a novel hybrid renewable system consisting of Building Integrated PhotoVoltaic panels and small-scale Wind Turbines and double-stage heat pumps. This combination is very promising since it reduces the typical fluctuations of solar or wind systems, achieving a more stable profile of the overall power production. A detailed dynamic simulation model is developed in TRNSYS environment, including validated models for all the components and a suitable thermoeconomic analysis. A case study is implemented for a hotel building, where the space heating and cooling energy is supplied by an electrically driven reversible air-to-water Heat Pump, supplied by the electricity produced by Building Integrated PhotoVoltaic panels and Wind Turbines. the thermal energy recovered from the HP desuperheater is coupled with the thermal energy produced by a two-stage cascade cycle Heat Pump to produce domestic hot water. Results are presented in terms of hourly, monthly and yearly system performance data as well as by discussing the results of a detailed sensitivity analysis performed to detect the optimum configuration and weather zone of this hybrid renewable system. An analysis of the building envelope features is also performed, according to the nearly zero energy buildings target. Results showed that the combination of photovoltaic and wind technologies allows one to significantly enhance the stability of the renewable power production. Results also show that the use of heat pumps leads to a reduction of the primary energy demand for building space heating/cooling and domestic hot water by 30%. A payback period of about 5.2 years is obtained and the optimum configuration suggests adopting one 20 kW Wind Turbine for the selected case study.

Photovoltaic systems have become a common solution for, both small residential buildings as well as large service buildings. When buildings are being designed, it is important to focus on the aspect of the object’s energy efficiency as lowering the energy consumption of a given facility is crucial. The article discusses the use of photovoltaic panels such as so-called BAPV (Building Applied Photovoltaics) and BIPV (Building Installed Photovoltaics) installations as well as photovoltaic thermal systems (PV/T), which generate both electricity and heat. The role of PV installation in so-called zero energy buildings and proposals for future research and solutions are also discussed.

The use of solar photovoltaic has strongly increased in the last decade. A significant part of this growth comes from home owners installing rooftop photovoltaic. Despite this key role, most long-term model-based scenarios do not consider decentralized supply of rooftop photovoltaic but concentrate on utility-scale photovoltaic instead. In this paper, we implement rooftop photovoltaic in the Integrated Assessment Model IMAGE to study its possible role in energy and climate scenarios. We first calculated the global technical and economic potential to derive regional cost-supply curves for rooftop photovoltaic. Next, we have added a new decision in the IMAGE model allowing household investment in rooftop photovoltaic based on the comparison of the whole-sale electricity price with the price of rooftop photovoltaic. The global suitable roof surface area was assessed at 36 billion m2, or 4.7 m2 capita−1, leading to a potential for rooftop photovoltaic of 8.3 PWh y−1, roughly 1.5 times the 2015 global residential electricity demand. In the baseline scenario, adding rooftop photovoltaic could lead to a 80–280% increased share of photovoltaic electricity production in 2050 (i.e. from 6% to 17% in total power production). This increase depends on regional characteristics that are essential to the deployment of rooftop photovoltaic: differences in social-economic and policy factors (capital costs, household income, and electricity prices) are considerably more important than physical factors, such as solar irradiance.

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) coupled with phase change materials (PCM) (BIPV/PCM) provide opportunities for reducing the photovoltaic (PV) panel temperature to increase the overall efficiency of the BIPV, while also transferring the extracted heat for building energy load management. A comprehensive numerical study is conducted to simulate the effects of different BIPV design parameters namely, BIPV height ( H ), air gap between BIPV/PCM and wall ( δ Air ), PCM thickness ( δ PCM ), and air mass flow rate ( m ) on the maximum PV panel temperature, the power production by the PV, and the energy extracted by the air. Optimum BIPV/PCM designs are derived from the studies for three different phase change materials, with the goal of maximizing the total energy from photovoltaics (EPV) and extracted heat (Eair), subject to the constraint of keeping the maximum PV panel temperature to within acceptable values. From the obtained results it is concluded that for the selected range of parameters, the optimum values of δ PCM , H , δ Air and m are, respectively, 0.04 m, 3 m, 0.02 m and 0.18 kg/s for maximizing EPV and 0 m, 3 m, 0.08 m and 0.091 kg/s for maximizing Eair without any constraints.

The present deployment of photovoltaic (PV) panels on the rooftop has been far below its potential. Stakeholders often see the PV as a strong design constraint, isolated from the built environment and not adapted to their requirements. Here, we propose a new design that combines the PV panels with a metal-organic framework basedsorptive thermal battery, which serves as a multi-functional building element and is more actively involved in the indoor environment regulation. The open-loop thermal battery can stock moisture from air with 105 times its volume so that the built environment with high humidity at night is dried to a comfortable and healthy level. The moisture is removed at daytime with unpleasant solar heat, thereby cools the PV panels simultaneously,improving electricity generation by 5%. The benefits of this design can be translated into economic added value to facilitate investment decisions of building-integrated PV projects.

Semi-transparent Building Integrated Photovoltaics provide a fresh approach to the renewable energy sector, combining the potential of energy generation with aesthetically pleasing, multi-functional building components. Employing a range of technologies, they can be integrated into the envelope of the building in different ways, for instance, as a key element of the roofing or façade in urban areas. Energy performance, measured by their ability to produce electrical power, at the same time as delivering thermal and optical efficiencies, is not only impacted by the system properties, but also by a variety of climatic and environmental factors. The analytical framework laid out in this paper can be employed to critically analyse the most efficient solution for a specific location; however, it is not always possible to mitigate energy losses, using commercially available materials. For this reason, a brief overview of new concept devices is provided, outlining the way in which they mitigate energy losses and providing innovative solutions for a sustainable energy future.

Aesthetic appearance of building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products, such as semitransparent PV (STPV) glass, is crucial for their widespread adoption and contribution to the net-zero energy building (NZEB) goal. However, the visual distortion significantly limits the aesthetics of STPV glass. In this study, we investigate the distortion effect of transparent periodic-micropattern-based thin-film PV (PMPV) panels available in the market. To minimize the visual distortion of such PMPV glass panel types, we design and develop an aperiodic micropattern-based PV (APMP) glass that significantly reduces visual distortion. The developed APMP glass demonstrates a haze ratio of 3.7% compared to the 10.7% of PMPV glass. Furthermore, the developed AMPV glass shows an average visible transmittance (AVT) of 58.3% which is around 1.3 times higher than that of AMPV glass (43.8%). Finally, the measured CIELAB values (L* = 43.2, a* = −1.55, b* = −2.86.) indicate that our developed AMPV glass possesses excellent color neutrality, which makes them suitable for commercial applications. Based on the characterization results, this study will have a significant impact on the areas of smart window glasses that can play a vital role in developing a sustainable environment and enhancing the aesthetical appearance of net-zero energy buildings (NZEB).

This study proposes front colored glass for building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems based on multi-layered derivatives of glass/MoO3/Al2O3 with a process technology developed to realize it. Molybdenum oxide (MoO3) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layers are selected as suitable candidates to achieve thin multi-layer color films, owing to the large difference in their refractive indices. We first investigated from a simulation based on wave optics that the glass/MoO3/Al2O3 multi-layer type offers more color design freedom and a cheaper fabrication process when compared to the glass/Al2O3/MoO3 multi-layer type. Based on the simulation, bright blue and green were primarily fabricated on glass. It is further demonstrated that brighter colors, such as yellow and pink, can be achieved secondarily with glass/MoO3/Al2O3/MoO3 due to enhanced multi-interfacial reflections. The fabricated color glasses showed the desired optical properties with a maximum transmittance exceeding 80%. This technology exhibits promising potential in commercial BIPV system applications.

Buildings consume considerable amount of energy to maintain comfortable interior. By allowing daylight, visual comfort inside a building is possible which can enhance the occupant’s health, mood and cognitive performance. However, traditional highly transparent windows should be replaced with semitransparent type window to attain a comfortable daylight inside a building. Evaluation of visual comfort includes both daylight glare and colour comfort analysis. Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) type windows are promising systems and can possess a range of semitransparent levels depending on the type of PV used. In this work, the semitransparent Perovskite BIPV windows was investigated by employing daylight glare analysis for an office building located in Riyadh, KSA and three wavelength dependent transmission spectra for colour comfort analysis. The results showed that the transmissions range between 50–70% was optimum for the comfortable daylight for south facing vertical pane BPV-windows. However, excellent colour comfort was attained for the transmission range of 90% which provided glare issues. Colour comfort for 20% transparent Perovskite was compared with contemporary other type of PV which clearly indicated that wavelength dependent transmittance is stronger over single value transmittance.

The development of adaptive architectural envelopes is one of the goals of researchers that aim to improve the energy performance of buildings. Traditional devices often have drawbacks linked to the complexity of the kinetic systems used, as the mechanical systems for guaranteeing proper operation are complex and expensive (e.g., hinges). Adaptive envelopes require energy for driving the mechanical components and management systems. Thus, it is useful for such adaptive elements to be self-sufficient, generating the energy necessary for their functioning. This study presents a prototype of a lightweight and stand-alone component for dynamic envelopes, characterized by a flexible composite material integrated with high-efficiency photovoltaic cells called the Solar Lightweight Intelligent Component for Envelopes (SLICE). The management and control of the SLICE is based on the Arduino platform. This paper describes the multidisciplinary design process that led to the realization of the current prototypes, the laboratory test phases, as well as the results of the preliminary experiments carried out under real environmental conditions.

Electricity outage is the main challenge facing the residential, commercial and industrial sectors in Nigeria. The country's electricity production is primarily from hydro and thermal sources, yet the available electricity output is far less than the demand. The shortfalls in electricity production and distribution in the residential and commercial sectors are the drive behind the off-grid power generation by individuals and corporate bodies in Nigeria. The off-grid power generation is mainly produced using gasoline/diesel generators which are not environmental friendlies and constitute an increase in the carbon footprint of the country. The use of off-grid power generators, also known as “backup generators” continues to grow, from slightly over 60% in 2002 to more than 80% in 2014, exposing the non-functional power sector in Nigeria. An average of 84% urban household depends on gasoline or diesel-powered generator for electricity supply while the rest live without electricity. This paper's goal is to evaluate the alternative sources that could expedite electricity availability with less carbon footprint. In this study, clean energy - solar photovoltaic (PV cells) utilization prospects were investigated for the common types of residential buildings in Nigeria. Lastly, the prospects of utilizing solar energy in buildings are discussed with their economic and environmental benefits.

Researchers have reported that despite technological development in photovoltaic technology and substantial cost reduction, there is still a narrow interest in architectural photovoltaic applications (APA). Lack of interest is correlated to various bottlenecks, and one of them is a lack of knowledge among architects on the possibilities and approaches to adopt APA. In response to the issues mentioned, the aim of the research presented was collecting qualitative and quantitative information from architects as lessons learned and perceptions in regards to APA. In total, 30 architects with and without experience of using photovoltaics (PV) were invited and interviewed. They were asked about their experience, design and decision-making process with PV, their understanding of integration, and the decisive factors to use APA. The results showed apparent differences between the experiences and perceptions, and they highlighted the lessons learned from realized projects. The analysis of the visual implication of PV integration shows that, to the eyes of architects, integration of PV into architecture does not depend on the PV product used, but instead, that when PV is part of the design concept and design process, the outcome is seen as a meaningful integration.

The scenario that emerges from scientific research on the use of BIPV systems in architecture shows that photovoltaic technologies and systems have reached a significant development in production and installation, becoming a strategic approach in the field of energy efficiency and enabling a progressive decarbonisation of the building stock. Still, knowledge and methods of architectural integration are not fully developed, especially in Italy. The present paper reports the results of a research activity that, systematising the main criteria and indicators for assessing the integrability of BIPVs in architecture, has led to the development of BIPV Product and Case Study Catalogues that define an up-to-date state of the art on aspects of design and technological innovation using BIPV systems and components. Catalogues have been created with the objective of contributing to the growth of knowledge on the most up-to-date methods of design by implementing a ‘technology transfer’ from good practice, in which photovoltaic systems are an integral part of the design concept and construction techniques of the architecture. The analysis related to the production of BIPV systems and components and their application in architectural projects allows one to highlight the main critical factors in the diffusion throughout the country and to identify the main research demand arising from the specific national situation.

High energy efficiency, energy autonomy, and improved living conditions are basic requirements of sustainable buildings. Advanced building envelope structures can provide these requirements. In the present paper, multipurpose facade structure designed as semi-transparent modular building-integrated photovoltaic facade with a forced ventilated cavity and enhanced heat storage capacity, using encapsulated phase change inserts installed on inner glass pane of photovoltaic module and on building envelope, is evaluated. The design of the facade structure, including simultaneous optimization of photovoltaic cell-packing factor, phase change material inserts properties, and heat transfer by convection in air gap, was based on transient modeling. A 60% photovoltaic cell-packing factor enables the highest overall energy efficiency, while phase change material inserts on the inner glass pane of photovoltaic module have no impact on diurnal photovoltaic cell efficiency. However, a phase change material layer installed on the envelope decreases the diurnal heat losses by half at solar radiation of 2200 Wh/m2 day. The energy performance of an optimized modular structure was determined via in-situ experiments; the data were used for developing dynamic approximation models of energy efficiency indicators. It was found that multiple regression models with interactions and past values can predict dynamic responses with sufficient accuracy. Depending on the heating season’s climate conditions, the developed semi-transparent modular building-integrated photovoltaic facade decreases the energy needs 40% to 55% in comparison to the reference facade with solar energy utilization efficiency in the range between 44% and 63%. This proves that such structures can contribute to fulfilling of requirements of sustainable buildings.

Installing renewable energy systems for zero-energy buildings has become increasingly common, building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems, which integrate PV modules into the building envelope, are being widely selected as renewable systems. In particular, owing to the rapid growth of information and communication technology, the requirement for appropriate operation and control of energy systems has become an important issue. To meet these requirements, a computational model is essential, however, some unmeasurable parameters can result in inaccurate results. This work proposes a calibration method for unknown parameters of a well-known BIPV model based on in situ test data measured over eight days, this parameter calibration was conducted via an optimization algorithm. The unknown parameters were set such that the results obtained from the BIPV simulation model are similar to the in situ measurement data. Results of the calibrated model indicated a root mean square error (RMSE) of 3.39 &deg, C and 0.26 kW in the BIPV cell temperature and total power production, respectively, whereas the noncalibrated model, which used typical default values for unknown parameters, showed an RMSE of 6.92 &deg, C and 0.44 kW for the same outputs. This calibration performance was quantified using measuring data from the first four days, the error increased slightly when data from the remaining four days were compared for the model tests.

Building challenges energy production from various sources, since it consumes energy in each stage of its life. The electrical energy in Indonesia is mostly produced by fossil fuel, an unrenewable energy resources has led to negative impacts on the environment. Thus, the availability of this resource is getting less. Fortunately, Indonesia has abundant renewable energy resources, and the use of these resources are still a minimum. This fact is supported by the data that many of Green-certificated buildings in Indonesia failed to take credit for the on-site renewable energy in their assessment. This research presents the proposed case of Universitas Ciputra. A building which was designed with green features and has the potential for on-site renewable energy integration, particularly for solar energy with BIPV as its concept. The aim of this research is to observe efforts made for optimizing electrical energy production from the renewable energy resources, along with the amount of optimum electrical energy generated compared to Greenship standards. The PV panels were integrated to the building facade elements (roof, opaque wall, transparent wall, and shading device), using optimum tilt and orientation angle. The result shows that the application of BIPV concept could substitute for 6–22% of the maximum power demand needed. Thus, the BIPV application on the building roof alone, would already reach the Greenship target for on-site renewable energy tool.

Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) is one of the most efficient ways to utilize renewable energy in buildings. However, the stochastic characteristic of PV power generation and load challenges the optimal dispatch of the BIPV. This paper proposes an optimal scheduling strategy of BIPV microgrid considering virtual energy storage (VES), which intends to further improve the operating economy of a BIPV microgrid. Firstly, existing research findings and gaps in this research area were analyzed. Then, the mathematical model of each unit in the system was created, meanwhile, the air conditioner-based VES (ACVES) model and electric water heater-based VES (EWHVES) model are built by exploiting the heat/cold storage capability of building and the electric water heater, respectively. Next, the optimal scheduling model considering the VES is designed. Finally, the optimal scheduling model is solved by CPLEX to obtain the optimal scheduling strategy that reduces the operating cost of the system. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed strategy can reduce the operating cost of the system. Furthermore, the VES shows the potential to replace the battery energy storage system.

PV temperature significantly affects the module&rsquo, s power output and final system yield, and its accurate prediction can serve the forecasting of PV power output, smart grid operations, online PV diagnostics and dynamic predictive management of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. This paper presents a dynamic PV temperature prediction model based on transient Energy Balance Equations, incorporating theoretical expressions for all heat transfer processes, natural convection, forced convection, conduction and radiation exchanges between both module sides and the environment. The algorithmic approach predicts PV temperature at the centre of the cell, the back and the front glass cover with fast convergence and serves the PV power output prediction. The simulation model is robust, predicting PV temperature with high accuracy at any environmental conditions, PV inclination, orientation, wind speed and direction, and mounting configurations, free-standing and BIPV. These, alongside its theoretical basis, ensure the model&rsquo, s wide applicability and clear advantage over existing PV temperature prediction models. The model is validated for a wide range of environmental conditions, PV geometries and mounting configurations with experimental data from a sun-tracking, a fixed angle PV and a BIPV system. The deviation between predicted and measured power output for the fixed-angle and the sun-tracking PV systems was estimated at &minus, 1.4% and 1.9%, respectively. The median of the temperature difference between predicted and measured values was as low as 0.5 &deg, C for the sun-tracking system, and for all cases, the predicted temperature profiles were closely matching the measured profiles. The PV temperature and power output predicted by this model are compared to the results produced by other well-known PV temperature models, illustrating its high predictive capacity, accuracy and robustness.

Façade building-integrated photovoltaics is a technology that transforms a passive façade into a distributed, renewable electrical generator by the inclusion of solar cells in the building envelope. Partial shading due to nearby objects is a typical problem for façade building-integrated photovoltaics as it strongly reduces the output power of the installation. Distributed maximum power point tracking by means of embedded converters and a common direct current bus has been proposed to alleviate this issue. However, the bus voltage plays an important role in converter topology selection and overall efficiency, although this is not being covered in literature. Also the influence of the solar cell technology on the output voltage of the module is not studied before, although it strongly influences the converter topology selection and the losses. In this paper, a methodology is described to investigate the influence of the voltage level and solar cell technology by taking conversion losses in the converters and the cabling into account. The methodology is applied to two case study buildings for which four different cell technologies are considered. It is shown that overall high efficiencies are obtained, regardless of the voltage level. However, the loss distribution changes significantly with the voltage. This aspect can be used advantageously to reduce thermal stresses on the embedded converter. Furthermore, the overall system efficiency is typically higher when the voltage step-up is lower.

Vertical space bears great potential of solar energy especially for congested urban areas, where photovoltaic (PV) windows in high-rise buildings can contribute to both power generation and daylight harvest. Previous studies on sun-tracking PV windows strayed into the trade-off between tracking performance and mutual shading, failing to achieve the maximum energy generation. Here we first build integrated models which couple the performance of sun-tracking PV windows to the rotation angles. Secondly, one-degree-of-freedom (DOF) and two-DOF sun tracking are mathematically proven to be not able to gain either maximum power generation or non-glare daylighting under reasonable assumptions. Then we derive the optimum rotation angles of the variable-pivot-three-degree-of-freedom (VP-3-DOF) sun-tracking elements and demonstrate that the optimum VP-3-DOF sun tracking can achieve the aforementioned goals. When the restriction of the proposed model is relaxed, the same performance can be achieved by the optimum one-DOF sun tracking with extended PV slats and particular design of cell layout, requiring less complicated mechanical structures. Simulation results of nine global cities show that the annual energy generation and average module efficiency are improved respectively by 27.40% and 19.17% via the optimum VP-3-DOF sun tracking over the conventional perpendicular sun tracking. The proposed optimum sun-tracking methods also reveal better protection against sun glare. The optimum VP-3-DOF sun tracking is also demonstrated to be applicable to horizontal PV windows, as those applied in the sun roof of a glass greenhouse.

The glossy appearance of the cover glass of a photovoltaic module is mainly responsible for giving the module a mirroring effect, which is often disturbing in the case of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) façade applications. In this work, an innovative approach is presented to reduce the glare of BIPV modules by applying surface coatings to the front glass of the module. Three different glass coating technologies, applied on the outer surface of the photovoltaic module, were investigated: inkjet printing, screen printing, and sol-gel spray coating. The coatings, applied by these technologies in three different colours (grey, anthracite, and terracotta), were characterized with respect to their adhesion, light transmission, and reflection. Their chemical and physical stability after stress impact (condensed water resistance and chemical resistance against acids and salt-fog) was also investigated. The durability of these coatings was further evaluated after performing environmental simulations with artificial sunlight (xenon weathering) on coated glass. Additionally, accelerated aging tests (damp-heat testing, temperature cycling) were performed on the test modules to assess their performance stability. For those coatings, where no stress-induced changes in colour or the optical appearance of the module surface were detected, the potential for the architectural integration of the modules into building facades is high. A minimum glare of less than 0.1% of the specular reflection could be achieved. On the basis of the results of the optical characterization and the durability tests, grey screen-printed BIPV solar modules were installed in a demonstrator test façade. The high electrical performance, resulting in only a 10–11% performance decrease compared to the noncoated reference modules, perfectly showed the suitability of screen-printing in future applications for coloured and glare-reduced BIPV installations.

Our world is facing an environmental crisis that is driving scientists to research green and smart solutions in terms of the use of renewable energy sources and low polluting technologies. In this framework, photovoltaic (PV) technology is one of the most worthy of interest. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are innovative PV devices known for their encouraging features of low cost and easy fabrication, good response to diffuse light and colour tunability. All these features make DSSCs technology suitable for being applied to the so-called agrovoltaic field, taking into account their dual role of filtering light and supporting energy needs. In this project, we used 40 DSSC Z-series connected modules with the aim of combining the devices’ high conversion efficiency, transparency and robustness in order to test them in a greenhouse. A maximum conversion efficiency of 3.9% on a 221 cm2 active area was achieved with a transparency in the module’s aperture (312.9 cm2) area of 35%. Moreover, different modules were stressed at two different temperature conditions, 60 °C and 85 °C, and under light soaking at the maximum power point, showing a strong and robust stability for 1000 h. We assembled the fabricated modules to form ten panels to filter the light from the roof of the greenhouse. We carried out panel measurements in outdoor and greenhouse environments in both sunny and cloudy conditions to find clear trends in efficiency behaviour. A maximum panel efficiency in outdoor conditions of 3.83% was obtained in clear and sunny sky conditions.

In this work we use and further elaborate a previously proposed model to describe the daily performance ratio of amorphous (a-Si) and crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic solar modules under real operating conditions. For both technologies, the model was validated against three years of data collected from the outdoor test field at Supsi for a conventional ventilated free-rack mounted installation (south facing, 45(circle)-tilt). In the present work, we expand the simulations to model the performance of the same technologies for the same location and to include building integrated (BIPV) installation conditions. For simplicity, we consider two extreme cases: (a) a south-facing facade installation (90(circle)-tilt) and (b) a perfectly horizontal one (0(circle)-tilt). The angle-of-incidence response of the modules is then used to quantify reflection losses, which are very significant in summer and winter for the facade and horizontal installation, respectively. Further, compared to ventilated ones, fully integrated PV modules exhibit average operating temperatures that can reach an offset of +20(circle)C in days of clear sky conditions. This offset is used to model the operating temperatures - and performance losses - of the BIPV modules. The model, whose main limitation is the focus on days of clear sky conditions, allows assessing the distinguished contributions, and peculiar time-phases, of each effect to the yearly energy performance of the devices under test. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

This review study, framed in the Work group 4 “Photovoltaic in built environment” within the COST Action PEARL PV, CA16235, aims to examine applications of integrated and applied photovoltaic technologies on ten landmark buildings characterised by distinctive geometries, highlighting the aesthetics of their architecture and quality of PV integration based on a proposed set of seven criteria. The selected building samples cover a large design diversity related to the quality of PV systems integration into building envelope that could serve as a basis for general guidelines of best architectural and technological practice. After introducing the problem and defining the research methodology, an analysis of ten landmark buildings is presented, as representative models of aesthetics of their architecture, photovoltaic integration and implementation and energy performance. The study concludes with the main characteristics of photovoltaic integration on landmark buildings. The paper is intended to support both engineers and architects in comprehending the convergent development of contemporary architecture and photovoltaic technology, as well as the need for a closer collaboration, sometimes resulting in architectural masterworks that promote the diffusion of photovoltaics to the public. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

The incorporation of a phase change material (PCM) in building integrated photovoltaic (BiPV) façade can be applied to improve its thermal performance including more effective electrical conversion, however their real interaction needs to be investigated at adequate level. The aim of the presented paper is focused on the application of a material with high latent heat capacity based on PCM in the structure of double-skin BiPV façade. The key aspect concerns on an analysis of natural air flow movement affected by the storing/releasing heat energy from the PCM during daytime/night-time of days. The experimental campaign was performed using an experimental outdoor test cell where two full-scale façade samples (reference BiPV and experimental BiPV/PCM) were investigated. The strong effect of thermal inertia of the PCM identified by experimental measurements was observed on the façade air cavity temperature and air flow movement. Experimental results revealed that natural air flow regimes in façade cavities are nearly equal in the daytime, but in the night-time are totally different. The thermal emission from PCM increase the air temperature in the façade cavity and increase the velocity of air flow movement (PCM started solidified), mainly in the night-time.

Energy flexibility in buildings is gaining momentum with the introduction of new European directives that enable buildings to manage their own energy demand and production, by storing, consuming or selling electricity according to their need. The transition towards a low-carbon energy system, through the promotion of on-site energy production and enhancement of self-consumption, can be supported by building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) technologies. This paper investigates the aesthetic and technological integration of hidden coloured PV modules in architecturally sensitive areas that seem to be the best possibility to favour a balance between conservation and energy issues. First, a multidisciplinary methodology for evaluating the aesthetic and technical integration of PV systems in architecturally sensitive area is proposed, referring to the technologies available on the market. Second, the experimental characterisation of the technical performance specific BIPV modules and their comparison with standard modules under standard weather condition are analysed, with the aim of acquiring useful data for comparing the modules’ integration properties and performance. For this purpose, new testbeds have been set up to investigate the aesthetic integration and the energy performances of innovative BIPV products. The paper describes the analyses carried out to define the final configuration of these experimental testbeds. Finally, the experimental characterisation at standard test conditions of two coloured BIPV modules is presented and the experimental design for the outdoor testing is outlined.

Photovoltaic modules integrated into buildings may provide shading to windows, doors and walls to protect against sun rays and at the same time generate ancillary electrical energy. The study develops the methodology for calculating the shadow variation cast by overhangs on doors, windows, carports, and calculates the annual incident energy (beam, diffuse and global energy) on overhangs made up of conventional and bifacial PV modules. The methodology of the present study is different from published articles including software programs. The study starts with shadows on walls cast by a horizontal pole and follows by shadows on walls cast by horizontal plates, inclined pole, inclined plate, and shaded area. The study deals also with overhangs placed one above the other. The calculation of the diffuse radiation involves the calculation of view factors to sky, to ground and between overhangs. In addition, the present study suggests using bifacial PV modules for overhangs and calculates the contribution of the reflective energy (5% and more) from walls and ground to the rear side of the bifacial PV module.

Background This paper investigates the performance of a single-sloped pitched roof building-integrated photovoltaic (SSPR-BIPV) system. A typical rural building having a roof area of 60 sq. m is considered for the study. It was observed that the considered roof area could accommodate, nearly 7 kW BIPV system, and on the other side, most buildings seen in Malaysia are of the roof based constructed at different roof pitches. Considering this, a SSPR-BIPV is proposed and analyzed in seven different pitched roofs (the steepness of roof slopes are 15°, 18°, 22°, 30°, 35°, 40°, and 45°) under the tropical weather conditions in Malaysia. Results and discussion As per the study constraints, the 7 kW CdTe BIPV under seven different pitched roofs is capable of generating electricity within the range of 9510 to 7710 kWh. Performance ratio and energy losses for seven pitched roofs were identified to be in the range of 74.92 to 76.37% and − 23.63 to − 25.08% respectively. From the results, it is observed that in a BIPV system, as the building roof pitch increases, the energy yields and performance ratios tend to decrease, thereby increasing the overall energy losses. Conclusion Hence, this study reveals that there exists a considerable influence of pitched roof over the BIPV performance and suggests using lower roof pitch angles during the installation of BIPV roof especially in the case tropical weather conditions.

© 2019 by the authors. Since building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) modules are typically installed during, not after, the construction phase, BIPVs have a profound impact compared to conventional building-applied photovoltaics on the electrical installation and construction planning of a building. As the cost of BIPV modules decreases over time, the impact of electrical system architecture and converters will become more prevalent in the overall cost of the system. This manuscript provides an overview of potential BIPV electrical architectures. System-level criteria for BIPV installations are established, thus providing a reference framework to compare electrical architectures. To achieve modularity and to minimize engineering costs, module-level DC/DC converters preinstalled in the BIPV module turned out to be the best solution. The second part of this paper establishes converter-level requirements, derived and related to the BIPV system. These include measures to increase the converter fault tolerance for extended availability and to ensure essential safety features. ispartof: Energies vol:12 issue:8 pages:1-20 status: published

A ducted photovoltaic façade (DPV) unit was studied using experimental prototype and simulated in a full scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The study comes in two parts; this is Part I, as detailed in the title above, and Part II is titled “A Ducted Photovoltaic Façade Unit with Buoyancy Cooling: Part II CFD Simulation”. The process adopted in the experimental study is replicated in the simulation part. The aim was to optimize the duct width behind the solar cells to allow for a maximum buoyancy-driven cooling for the cells during operation. Duct widths from 5 to 50 cm were tested in a prototype. A duct width of 45 cm had the maximum calculated heat removed from the duct; however, the lowest cell-operating temperature was reported for duct width of 50 cm. It was found that ΔT between ducts’ inlets and outlets range from 5.47 °C to 12.32 °C for duct widths of 5–50 cm, respectively. The ducted system enhanced module efficiency by 12.69% by reducing photovoltaic (PV) temperature by 27 °C from 100 °C to 73 °C. The maximum measured heat recovered from the ducted PV system was 422 W. This is 48.98% from the incident radiation in the test. The total sum of heat recovered and power enhanced by the ducted system was 61.67%.

The Adaptive Solar Facade (ASF) is a modular, highly integrated dynamic building facade.The energetic behavior as well as the architectural expression of the facade can be controlled with high spatio-temporal resolution through individually addressable modules. We present the general design process, the current mechanical design, and simulation results on photovoltaic power production and building energy consumption. We introduce the controller concept and show results on solar tracking as well as user interaction. Lastly, we present our current and planned prototypes., Frontiers of Architectural Research, 5 (2), ISSN:2095-2635, ISSN:2095-2643

This article presents the state of the knowledge on the thermal analysis of double skin facades with integrated photovoltaic (PV) panels called the Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) in terms of the published studies carried out on these systems. The idea of integration of the PV panels by replacing building elements, increase the prospects of the renewable energy systems. Taking also into account the need to use more renewable energy systems in buildings, the investigation of the BIPV systems to improve their performance is of a great importance. The literature studies are separated into experimental and theoretical for naturally ventilated systems and mechanically ventilated with external means e.g. fan use. It is concluded that most researchers studied the systems with mechanical ventilation rather than the systems with natural ventilation because the latter are more complex in terms of the air flow behaviour in the air duct. Additionally, various researchers proposed Nu number correlations and convective heat transfer correlation under several assumptions and conditions every time, for different range or Ra number which are presented and compared in this paper.

Partial shading is widely considered to be a limiting factor in the performance of photovoltaic (PV) systems applied in urban environments. Modern system architectures, combined with per module deployment of power electronics, have been used to improve performance, especially at heterogeneous irradiance conditions, but they come with a high investment cost. In this paper, another approach is used to evaluate the selective deployment of power optimizers (SDPO), which can operate with a variety of string inverters and can be retrofitted in PV systems suffering from high shading losses. A combination of modelling and outdoor field testing showed the benefits and drawbacks of SDPOs in a variety of shading scenarios. Results suggest that there is an energy yield increase of 1–2% on an annual basis compared to that of a reference system. The exact level of increase depends on the shading patterns and combination scenarios used in this paper.

Abtract In 2014, the Singapore government announced plans to increase the adoption of solar power, including by integrating solar PV systems into the urban environment. Careful planning of a neighbourhood at early design stage, which determines the overall urban morphology, is important for effective deployment of solar panels in urban environment. This study performed parametric assessment to understand the relationship between urban morphology and the annual average irradiance on rooftop and facade in Singapore context. It also compares the correlation performance of building irradiance with the two definitions of Sky View Factor (SVF). Among the 10 selected morphology parameters, the correlation analysis shows the correlation performances of both definitions of SVF are the strongest (r = 0.94 to 1). As obtaining the value of SVF is not simple, two multilinear regression predictive models for rooftop and facade irradiance are developed. There is a significant improvement in adjusted R2 of the rooftop irradiance model (R2 = 0.61) when comparing the R2 of other individual parameters (R2 = 0 to 0.36). It is anticipated that the results of this study 1) would be useful for urban planners considering urban PV integration for sustainable cities; and 2) can provide a simpler way to give a rough estimation of SVF, which is commonly used for the parametric studies related to research areas such as urban microclimate and urban renewable energy utilization.

Geometrically equivalent V-trough and compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) were simulated to characterise the variation in optical efficiency using ray tracing modelling with COMSOL Multiphysics. The effect of CPC truncation and V-trough side wall angles were studied. The truncated CPC demonstrated much improved light acceptance outside the designed angle of acceptance when compared to the original CPC design and V-trough-like characteristics past the original design acceptance angles, consequently reducing material consumption for the manufacture of truncated CPC and therefore reduction in the cost of the system. Truncated CPCs showed optical efficiency equal to their full height counterparts, but a lower concentration ratio (4 at full, 3.6 at half and 2.7 at 50 mm height) due to an equivalent reduction of the inlet aperture size. The V-trough had a higher optical concentration ratio over 15–30° angle of incidents (AoI), with the CPC taking over from 30° AoI upwards. Experiments were performed on a 50 mm truncated CPC and a 22° Trough Wall Angle (TWA) V-trough collector under outdoor conditions. Experimentally measured data showed good correlation with ray tracing simulation results. Both experimental and the ray tracing analyses showed the CPC concentrator achieving a 2.4% higher power output compared to the V-trough design.

Photovoltaic electricity generation is growing at an almost exponential rate worldwide, reaching 400 GW(p) of installed capacity in 2018. Different types of installations, ranging from small building integrated systems to large plants, require different maintenance strategies, including strategies for monitorization and data processing. In this article, we present three case studies at different scales (from hundreds of W-p to a 2.1 MWp plant), where automated parameter monitorization and data analysis has been carried out, aiming to detect failures and provide recommendations for optimum maintenance procedures. For larger systems, the data collected by the inverters provides the best source of information, and the cross-correlated analysis which uses these data is the best strategy to detect failures in module strings and failures in the inverters themselves (an average of 32.2% of inverters with failures was found after ten years of operation). In regards to determining which module is failing, the analysis of thermographic images is reliable and allows the detection of the failed module within the string (up to 1.5% for grave failures and 9.1% of medium failures for the solar plant after eleven years of activity). Photovoltaic (PV) systems at different scales require different methods for monitorization: Medium and large systems depend on inverter automated data acquisition, which can be complemented with thermographic images. Nevertheless, if the purpose of the monitorization is to obtain detailed information about the degradation processes of the solar cells, it becomes necessary to measure the environmental (irradiance and ambient temperature), thermal and electrical parameters (I-V characterization) of the modules and compare the experimental data with the modelling results. This is only achievable in small systems. C.T. is grateful to Fundación Séneca-CARM for grant (Exp. 19768/FPI/15). The authors want to acknowledge Pedro García Trenza (from company Drónica) and Emilio Ballester (from company CRES) for sharing data and for their helpful comments. This research was funded by MINECO-Spain (including FEDER funds): Project ENE2016-79282-C5-5-R and Fundación Séneca (Región de Murcia, Spain): Project 19882-GERM-15.

In this paper, we evaluate passive and active strategies that can be used in solving the heating problems in the residential sector of Northern Cyprus. In doing so, we propose the use of photovoltaics as a shading device (PVSD). PVSD is known to produce clean energy from solar radiation and it also reduces the energy consumed for cooling. We use an empirical method to evaluate the performance of a typical family detached dwelling in Famagusta, Cyprus. The simulation result derived from the study indicates that the strategic use of PVSDs for openings oriented towards the east, west, and south can reduce its energy consumption by almost 50% in three months of the year and cut down up to 400 kWh of energy consumption through the year, thus raising the comfort level of the building by about 20%. It will also generate nearly 2800 W that can provide up to 50% of the electricity demand.

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) has attracted increased commercial interest in recent years due to a growing focus on efficient utilization of land area and local renewable energy generation. Aesthetic aspects must be considered when photovoltaic panels are applied as building elements. Colours can be added by reflecting some of the sunlight that otherwise could have been utilized for electricity generation. Reflectance spectra of commercial solar cell modules have been measured and analysed. Relative efficiency loss caused by the reflected solar radiation energy has been calculated. The calculated losses in efficiency based on measured spectra have been compared to model spectra with colour coordinates corresponding to RAL colours as well as more idealized monochromatic spectra. The analysis shows that the most important colour parameter affecting loss is the lightness. The second most important parameter is the hue of the colour, with green-yellow colours having the lowest loss, and pink colours resulting in the highest loss, when colours with the same lightness are compared. A Colour Performance Index (CPI) given by luminous reflectance divided by relative loss has been proposed as a figure of merit, thus allowing for a useful comparison of colours with different lightness. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Potential photovoltaic (PV) production from vertical façades facing the four cardinal points of the compass are calculated from daily average vertical global insolation readings measured in Burgos, Spain. Ten-minute data sets are collected over forty-five months, from January 2014 to September 2017, in the experimental campaign to produce estimates of daily average insolation levels, from which the PV potential of the vertical surfaces was calculated. Given the scarcity of data on Global Vertical Insolation (GVI), the main sky-related variables were processed in four classic decomposition models (Isotropic, Circumsolar, Klucher, and Hay) to predict the insolation values. Both the experimentally measured GVI values and those calculated with the models were then compared using the statistical indicators RMSE and MBE. The results highlighted the economic viability of Building Integrated PhotoVoltaic (BIPV) facilities, even on the north-facing façades, in comparison with the horizontal facility at the same location., Regional Government of Castile and Leon (Junta de Castilla-León) (Ref. BU034U16) through the European Regional Development Fund, and from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, under the I + D + i State Programme Challenges for Society (Ref. ENE-2014-54601-R

Rapid and uncontrolled urbanization is continuously increasing buildings’ energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. In this scenario, solar energy integrated into the built environment can play an important role in optimizing the use of renewable energy sources on urban surfaces. Preliminary solar analyses to map the solar accessibility and solar potential of building surfaces (roofs and façades) should become a common practice among urban planners, architects, and public authorities. This paper presents an approach to support urban actors to assess solar energy potential at the neighborhood scale and to address the use of solar energy by considering overshadowing effects and solar inter-building reflections in accordance with urban morphology and building characteristics. The approach starts with urban analysis and solar irradiation analysis to elaborate solar mapping of façades and roofs. Data processing allows assessment of the solar potential of the whole case study neighborhood of Sluppen in Trondheim (Norway) by localizing the most radiated parts of buildings’ surfaces. Reduction factors defined by a new method are used to estimate the final solar potential considering shadowing caused by the presence of buildings’ architectural elements (e.g., glazed surfaces, balconies, external staircases, projections) and self-shading. Finally, rough estimation of solar energy generation is assessed by providing preliminary recommendations for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems suited to local conditions. Results show that depending on urban morphology and buildings’ shapes, PV systems can cover more than 40% of the total buildings’ energy needs in Trondheim. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

A seasonal analysis of a long-term dataset produced by an off-grid classroom facility showcasing several solar orientated renewable technologies is presented. The performance of the building’s BIPV and battery storage system is characterised and optimisation strategies are discussed. The building experiences a typical oceanic climate defined by a relatively narrow annual temperature range and a high level of annual precipitation, resulting in significant fluctuation in PV performance throughout the year. On clear days, the battery system reaches capacity quickly and PV power output drops to the base load of the building. This curtailment of solar generation highlights the importance of developing control strategies to optimise system performance. Maximising the performance of the building requires accurate methodologies for predicting PV generation and detailed knowledge of building demand profiles. Significant correlation is observed between the solar irradiance, battery state of charge and PV power output, demonstrating the importance of these variables in any solar forecasting model. Demand profiles are deterministic and follow classroom routine. A baseline accounts for persistent systems such as the building management system that are active throughout the day, with demand peaking during occupancy. This information could be incorporated into scheduling algorithms to optimise performance. Consumption is more aligned with the solar generation profile than typical residential buildings that peak in the evening as levels of solar generation fall. The synergistic effect of buildings with different demand profiles could be a mitigation method to minimise the temporal mismatch between solar generation and consumption.

In all over the world, huge parts of energy are consumed by buildings. Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems have attracted much attention with the purpose of providing energy demand of buildings. This paper introduces the examinations of BIPV system on a residential building under different climatic conditions of Iran by considering different PV modules. The building orientation has been analysed in order to find higher efficiency rate of PV modules through DesignBuilder. It was found the maximum rate of energy generation for all three cities occurs in south side of the building. Also for Tehran and Tabriz the minimum ratio of energy consumption is at the angle of 180° while for Bandar Abas it is in north side. Moreover, applying Cd-Te modules contribute to reducing payback time.

© 2018 IEEE. Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) replace traditional building elements with power generating elements through the use of solar cells. One of the targets for this technology is to place the module-level power converter into the photovoltaic module's frame to achieve an integrated system. Temperature is the most influential parameter for a converter's reliability, its damage caused on the components needs to be studied in detail. In this paper, a reliability comparison based on a four-day mission profile has been made in order to assess the most reliable frame position for this converter to be placed in as all of them possess a different temperature profile. The results show that placing the converter in the lateral bottom of the frame is significantly more reliable than the mid or top position. In addition, a lifetime analysis is performed on the converter's dc-link capacitor in order to demonstrate the required methodology. In future work, this can be extended towards other sensitive components when appropriate lifetime models become available. These lifetime estimations can then be combined to achieve an overall BIPV system lifetime assessment. ispartof: pages:412-417 ispartof: 2018 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS (ICRERA) pages:412-417 ispartof: 7th International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Applications (ICRERA) location:Paris, FRANCE date:14 Oct - 17 Oct 2018 status: published

The purpose of this two-part study is to present the experimental analysis carried out on a naturally ventilated Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system and the new correlations developed for the estimation of the convective heat transfer coefficients (CHTC) in the air gap, and use the developed correlations to construct a simulation model which is validated with the experimental data. In BIPV systems the air gap is responsible to cool the PVs and remove excess heat to avoid building overheating. The ventilation of the air gap can be natural or mechanical. However, naturally ventilated systems are less studied although they have important advantages over the mechanically ventilated ones, such as the avoidance of extra energy of the fans, maintenance and noise. The present Part I of this study presents an experimental based thermal analysis of a naturally ventilated vertical BIPV system. A series of experiments on a custom made BIPV system were carried in real outdoor conditions as well as indoors with the use of a large scale solar simulator to measure the thermal characteristics of the system and its thermal behaviour. Indoor experiments were performed to avoid external disturbances from wind that may occur outside. The results show that an open-ended air gap of 0.1 m can create adequate air flow on naturally ventilated systems and can ensure low PV temperatures to avoid PV efficiency decrease. The experimental data are then used to estimate the convective heat transfer coefficients to fit the real conditions of the BIPV systems. Then two correlations are proposed for the estimation of the Nusselt number that fits best the thermal characteristics of a naturally ventilated BIPV system.

This paper presents a numerical simulation work on the mechanical behaviors of an ultra-thin double-glazing PV module under static and dynamic load conditions. Three different kinds of PV mounting configurations are investigated respectively to explore their influences on the static and dynamic performance of the studied module. For each kind of mounting configuration, static, modal and modal-based steady-state dynamic analyses are carried out by using the Finite Element Method, respectively. In the static analysis, two kinds of uniform pressure loading conditions with magnitudes of 2400 Pa and 5400 Pa, which are standing for the maximum wind load and snow load respectively according to the Standard of IEC 61215, are applied on the PV modules. After static analyses, modal analyses are performed to obtain the PV modules’ natural frequencies and mode shapes. Based on the results of modal analyses, a steady-state dynamic analysis is conducted to determine the modules’ dynamic responses to the harmonic excitations with an amplitude of 2400 Pa and frequencies ranging from 0 Hz to 100 Hz. The simulation results show that both the deformation and the stresses of three PV system are small in static analysis, but they are quite different in dynamic analysis. The dynamic displacement curves have obvious oscillations near the natural frequencies of PV modules and the amplitudes are large enough to damage the PV modules. The mounting configurations have a significant influence on both the static performance (strength and deformation) and dynamic performance (dynamic characteristics and responses). In conclusion, for this ultra-thin double-glazing PV module, it is not accurate and appropriate for evaluating the safety and stability of the PV module just through the existing static analysis in IEC 61215. The dynamic effects of the loading on PV module also need to be paid attention. Moreover, the mounting configurations should be designed to meet both the static and dynamic requirements.

Dye-sensitized solar cell technology is having an important role in renewable energy research due to its features and low-cost manufacturing processes. Devices based on this technology appear very well suited for integration into glazing systems due to their characteristics of transparency, color tuning and manufacturing directly on glass substrates. Field data of thermal and electrical characteristics of dye-sensitized solar modules (DSM) are important since they can be used as input of building simulation models for the evaluation of their energy saving potential when integrated into buildings. However, still few studies in the literature provide this information. The study presented here aims to contribute to fill this lack providing a thermal and electrical characterization of a DSM in real operating conditions using a method developed in house. This method uses experimental data coming from test boxes exposed outdoor and dynamic simulation to provide thermal transmittance (U-value) and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of a DSM prototype. The device exhibits a U-value of 3.6 W/m2·K, confirmed by an additional measurement carried on in the lab using a heat flux meter, and a SHGC of 0.2, value compliant with literature results. Electrical characterization shows an increase of module power with respect to temperature resulting DSM being suitable for integration in building facades.

This paper presents an integrated bottom-up approach aimed at helping those dealing with strategical analysis of installation of Building Integrated Photo Voltaic (BIPV) to estimate the electricity production potential along with the energy needs of urban buildings at the district scale. On the demand side, hourly energy profiles are generated using dynamic building simulation taking into account actual urban morphologies. On the supply side, electricity generated from the system is predicted considering both the direct and indirect components of solar radiation as well as local climate variables. Python-based Algorithm editor Grasshopper is used to interlink four types of modelling and simulation tools as 1) generation of 3-D model, 2) solar radiation analysis, 3) formatting weather files (TMY data set) and 4) dynamic energy demand. The method has been demonstrated for a cluster of 20 buildings located in the Yasar University in Izmir (Turkey), for which it is found the BIPV system could achieve an annual renewable share of 23%, in line with the Renewable Energy Directive target of 20%. Quantitatively-compared demand and supply information at hourly time step shows that only some energy needs can be met by BIPV, so there is a need for an appropriate matching strategy to better exploit the renewable energy potential.

In this work we consider noise barriers with integrated photovoltaic modules. The novelty is that bifacial modules are considered. A full scale bifacial photovoltaic noise barrier was built and its power output was monitored. In addition we developed an advanced numerical model for predicting this power output for given weather conditions. Excellent agreement was found between the measured power output and the model prediction. Next we used this model to demonstrate the effects of the orientation, tilt, location, cell position and bypass-diode configuration on the annual energy yield of bifacial photovoltaic noise barriers.