Various studies have assessed the energy performance alterations affected by the novel technology of Building-Integrated Photovoltaic in Double-Skin Facades (BIPV-DSF), while lighting performance ...tied to the BIPV-DSF has not received much attention. This paper provides numerical modelling to assess the effect of BIPV-DSF on both indoor visual condition and energy consumption for an office module under a typical climate in the United Kingdom. The proposed study was focused on the comparisons between a reference case (a DSF office module with both layers using clear double glazing) and a design case of the same office module with BIPV-DSF using semi-transparent Amorphous Silicon PV glazing. Results show a significant drop in maximum daylight illuminance of 73% by configuring the BIPV-DSF with reference to the regular DSF. It was also reported the resultant average and minimum daylight factors (0.65% and 0.00%) were not able to meet indoor visual comfort requirements for office environments. Furthermore, it was found that the use of BIPV-DSF resulted in a net increase of 8% in building energy consumption over the reference DSF. Therefore, it is concluded that in the present context the BIPV-DSF is not viable for a commercial installation under the UK's climate conditions.
•Effect of reflect coating on the SRT performance was tested for the first time.•A temperature reduction of 10–11 °C was observed in the lab and field tests.•Electrical efficiency improvement of ...6.61 % was achieved with the application of RC.•A decrease in internal test chamber temperature of 18.7 % could be attained with RC.
Compared to solar panels, the current adoption rate of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems in Australia is relatively low owing to their complex design, fluctuation in efficiency during operation and high cost. The efficiency of the BIPV system drops significantly with the increase of module temperature beyond 25°C. To stabilise the system temperature during operation and reduce the complexity of integration of a cooling system, reflective coating (RC) has been introduced in the present work. The effect of reflective coating on the electrical and thermal performances of a BIPV system, specifically solar roof tiles (SRTs), has been investigated. Several types of RCs and their application methods have been tested to optimise their performance. In the laboratory test, it was found that the RC could reduce the surface temperature by 11 °C, leading to an electrical efficiency improvement of 6.61%; while in the natural environment test, the observed temperature reduction was 10 °C, providing an electrical efficiency improvement of 6%. The internal temperature of an enclosed polystyrene test chamber placed under the SRTs during testing was also monitored. It was found that a reduction in the internal test chamber temperature of 18.7% could be achieved with RC, indicating a positive influence in lowering the interference between indoor and outdoor environments. However, RC beneath the monocrystalline silicon solar cells did not make an obvious contribution to the temperature reduction.
With the rapid development of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology, rooftop PV grid-connected systems face challenges in operation. When the consumption rate of BIPV systems is low, ...power reverse increases distribution network losses and decreases power supply quality. Traditional energy efficiency evaluations for distribution networks do not consider the impact of low BIPV consumption rates on network losses. This paper establishes an energy efficiency evaluation model for distribution networks with BIPV systems based on adversarial interpretive structural modeling and proposes an energy efficiency indicator system applicable to distribution networks with BIPV systems. The method was applied to eight distribution networks with BIPV systems, achieving accurate energy efficiency level rankings. Through single-factor sensitivity analysis of the indicator system, the primary factors affecting distribution networks with BIPV systems energy efficiency were identified. A reactive power optimization model based on multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm was established. After optimization, network losses decreased by 153 kW, PV consumption rate increased by 73 %, and node voltage drift was significantly enhanced. Corresponding loss reduction strategies were proposed for other indicators. This paper provides valuable references for planning and renovating distribution networks with BIPV systems.
•Airport building envelopes can receive 90–95% of the maximum available annual solar irradiation.•The choice of PV technology has a large impact on the annual energy generation potential.•Compared ...with BIPV, BAPV leads to lower installed peak power capacity and annual energy density.•Compared with BIPV, BAPV leads to higher annual energy yields.•Differences in performance ratio (PR) between BIPV and BAPV are negligible.
Civil aviation is a large and growing contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The airports that host commercial flights are often national landmarks and architectural showcases. They are typically large, horizontal and free of shading, and are also ideally suited for the integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems for onsite generation of clean and renewable electricity. While ground-mounted PV generators should be designed for optimum performance, PV systems integrated on buildings should also consider aesthetics. We have analysed building-applied and building-integrated PV systems (BAPV and BIPV). In BAPV, optimised PV module orientation and tilt angles were proposed for maximum annual output, while in BIPV, modules were accommodated respecting the existing architecture of airport buildings. Two Brazilian airports were analysed, comparing the performance of BAPV and BIPV using two “off-the-shelf” PV technologies. On average, both the installed peak power and the energy generation density were found to be higher for BIPV (100% and 87%, respectively), while the final annual energy yield was 7% higher for BAPV. A compromise of pleasant integration and small energy losses was reached, which can assist in convincing clients and the public more than an ideally tilted and oriented PV generator that impacts negatively on the building's aesthetics.
Although fossil fuels remain the primary global energy source, developing and expanding economies are creating an ever-widening gap between supply and demand. Efficient energy management offers a ...cost-effective opportunity for both industrialized and developing nations to limit the enormous financial and environmental costs associated with burning fossil fuels. The implication of photovoltaic systems in particular presents the potential for clean and sustainable electrical energy to be generated from an unrestricted source. Energy Management in Buildings Using Photovoltaics demonstrates how adopting best practices for energy management and harvesting can reduce the need to construct new generating facilities. Illustrated with figures, tables and photos, Energy Management in Buildings Using Photovoltaics provides an introduction and step by step instructions on designing and planning photovoltaic systems and energy policies for both residential and industrial buildings. With particular focus on the example of provided by European industry, the creation of energy efficient systems is explored including chapters on: Zero Energy Buildings, Photovoltaics Technology, and Connection of the Network By presenting this topic from basic introduction to highly technical analysis, Energy Management in Buildings Using Photovoltaics acts a study guide for postgraduate students as well as a key point of reference for researchers and technical consultants in the field of photovoltaic systems.
•Shadings and module temperature are directly related to PV system performance.•Lower shading percentages and module temperatures presented higher yield and PRs.•PV systems with non-optimal azimuthal ...deviations and tilts can still perform well.•Shading analysis during the design phase can highly improve PV systems performance.
Challenges such as partial shading and non-optimal tilt and azimuthal deviations are common in building-integrated photovoltaic systems (BIPV). Therefore, it is important to be aware of the consequences on systems performance metrics, namely annual specific yield and performance ratio for these specialised applications. This paper describes detailed analyses of shading effects, irradiation resource availability and module temperature on the performance metrics of individual subsystems of a rooftop BIPV installation in a high-rise building embedded in a high-density environment in Singapore. The study indicates that a shading analysis during the design phase can highly improve PV systems performance by giving careful consideration about shaded modules to optimise the PV module string design.
Within the building energy saving strategies, BIPV (building integrated photovoltaic systems) present a promising potential based on the close relationship existing between these multifunctional ...systems and the overall building energy balance. Building integration of STPV (semi-transparent photovoltaic) elements affects deeply the building energy demand since it influences the heating, cooling and lighting loads as well as the local electricity generation. This work analyses over different window-to-wall ratios the overall energy performance of five STPV elements, each element having a specific degree of transparency, in order to assess the energy saving potential compared to a conventional solar control glass compliant with the local technical standard. The prior optical characterization, focused to measure the spectral properties of the elements, was experimentally undertaken. The obtained data were used to perform simulations based on a reference office building using a package of specific software tools (DesignBuilder, EnergyPlus, PVsyst, and COMFEN) to take proper account of the STPV peculiarities. To evaluate the global energy performance of the STPV elements a new Energy Balance Index was formulated. The results show that for intermediate and large façade openings the energy saving potential provided by the STPV solutions ranges between 18% and 59% compared to the reference glass.
•Experimental characterisation of semitransparent photovoltaic elements spectral properties.•New index formulation to assess the global energy performance of STPV (semi-transparent photovoltaic) elements.•Overall energy performance simulation carried out using a package of specific tools.•Compared to standard solutions, STPV energy saving potential ranges between 5 and 59%.•Energy saving potential depends on window-to-wall ratio and STPV transparency degree.
This book, through step-by-step modelling and simulation, demonstrates why the large integration of small residential roof-mounted photovoltaic cells into the public grid is one of the best solutions ...to mankind's energy problems, given the consequent low impact on power systems' dispatching centres. It introduces and develops a new concept of renewable energy: the simultaneous operation on/off grid of the energy cell, with a triple function inverter (on-grid, off-grid and charger). The text highlights the advantages and superiority of the large integration of small residential widespread photovoltaics, and will appeal to researchers, engineers, developers, and energy planners in the fields of clean energy generation and power systems.
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