Intersolar Europe 2024’s comprehensive accompanying program once again served as a platform to present the most innovative PV applications. Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is becoming cheaper and is getting more public attention.
At the Intersolar Forum, Fabian Flade of the Bavarian Association for the Promotion of Solar Energy moderated a session where companies and researchers presented their latest BIPV products, developments and projects. In this interview, he summarized what was said.
What exciting presentations and topics did this session offer, and where do you think BIPV is headed?
We started with a thematic overview of BIPV. First, we defined what BIPV is, because it’s not just energy generation, it becomes additionally a building product. The requirements are specific, because BIPV is at the interface between architecture and energy technology. This creates challenges. That’s why, compared with standard modules, BIPV is still a niche application.
We looked at where they can be installed: in the building skin – rooftops and façades. With a focus on Switzerland, because they have very impressive projects. Compared to Germany, where everything is reduced to the questions of costs and profitability, the Swiss put more emphasis on good design. The Swiss are much more prepared to see design as essential. Building is expensive is Switzerland, so when they do it, they go all in.
Then we moved on to the role of architects. They’re important players in this area. You can’t approach them with an attitude of “here’s my product, take it and use it”, which is typical for traditional PV. You have to respect their vision. They usually work with materials that can be cut into various shapes and with products, where they can choose the dimensions. This is not possible with PV modules. A chance for BIPV lies in the fact, that manufacturers can offer customized solutions through different sizes and colors. Talking about color: When installing modules in urban buildings, public acceptance is a completely different story. Standard modules won’t work.
If we want to generate power in cities – which we will need to, because that is where it is used – we have to take a different approach. While we can’t forget about efficiency, we need to put more emphasis on design. In the session, we heard about some solutions that are quite futuristic. Colored modules are another interesting topic. They have been under discussion for some time, but the problem has always been that color reduces module efficiency. For example, modules in a terracotta color typically produced 25 to 35 percent less power. In the session, we saw some of the first projects that were able to use ceramic print in very light colors with only a five to ten percent loss.
At the end of the session, we discussed the future-focused topic of organic PV, where the modules are not covered with a glass panel. Instead, organic PV modules are flexible and can be adapted to fit almost any shape. However, their efficiency is still relatively low, so they can’t really be used for commercial applications yet. Today’s projects are more or less lighthouse projects. But they will be big in the future! They’re light, flexible and easy to adapt and customize.