| Work Detail |
A Belgian-Dutch research team has defined new design guidelines for photovoltaics integrated into buildings or infrastructures. The proposed approach, validated using two demonstrators, favours the production of semi-finished products for integrated photovoltaic applications by enabling efficient communication between project developers and module manufacturers.
An international research team has outlined new general design guidelines for integrated photovoltaic (IPV) modules.
“Our research introduces a novel approach by establishing design guidelines for manufacturing IPV-adapted PV modules based on general product requirements rather than relying on commercially available PV modules,” lead author of the research Nikoleta Kyranaki explained to pv magazine. “The guidelines provide a framework of options and their characteristics, facilitating communication between IPV developers and PV manufacturers to select and produce the optimal PV module for specific applications.”
In the paper “ Design Guidelines for Building and Infrastructure Integrated Photovoltaic Modules,” published in RRL Solar , the researchers explained that their approach was validated using two demonstrators, one for building-integrated photovoltaic modules (BIPV) and one for infrastructure-integrated photovoltaic modules (IIPV), which were installed to validate the proposed general design guidelines. “This work represents a significant contribution to the goal of mass customization of these types of products,” Kyranaki added.
The novel guidelines are primarily intended to support the manufacturing of semi-finished (SF) for IPV applications by enabling effective communication between project developers and module producers. The main factors to be considered and discussed are panel structure, electrical and fire safety, SF fixing to the IPV element, transparency, bifaciality, aesthetics, durability, shadow attenuation, cost, recyclability and environmental assessment through life cycle analysis (LCA).
The exhaustive list of general design criteria proposed by the scientists also presents various options regarding bill of materials and production technologies. “These options have their own advantages and disadvantages, which are listed and quantified wherever possible,” the scientists explain.
Kyranaki explained that compliance with relevant IEC standards and the establishment of harmonised standards proved to be key factors for the production of high-quality semi-finished products. “Durability, mechanical stability and aesthetic compatibility are also important in IPV construction,” he added.
Looking ahead, the research team says it aims to optimize the cost of IPV products and improve the recyclability of semi-finished products. “Environmental assessment using LCA is crucial, and current studies suggest that frameless glass-glass modules show signs of lower GHG emissions,” Kyranaki said.
The group consisted of scientists from the University of Hasselt and the Institut de Recherche des Instituts groupés of the Haute Ecole Mosane in Belgium, as well as the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and the Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. Researchers from the Belgian companies Soltech, ZigZagSolar and Enfoil also participated. |
