BIPV for NZE Installations & Deployed Bases

NZE Installations & Deployed Bases Workshop Colorado Springs, CO Ccile Warner, P.E. NREL Feb. 3, 2009

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Outline: BIPV for NZE Installations & Deployed Bases

Background and history of BIPV: 1954 - 2009 Forecast for BIPV market growth Barriers: reliability, maintainability, durability, failure Most common BIPV products NREL field assessment of BIPV installation protocols Other important BIPV products Conclusions

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1954: The First Practical Solar Cell

1955: Solar battery appears in magazine

Chapin, Fuller, and Pearson

Source: AT&T

Source: AT&T
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Professor Kosuke Kurokawa: PV Rooftop Grid-Connection Pioneer

Prof. Kurokawa, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Developed the first R&D proposal regarding the grid-connected concept of residential photovoltaic systems in 1977, with the idea that a number of PV systems can cooperate with each other in their operation through a distribution grid.

Ota City, Japan, 2006 (photo retouched)

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1987: Projekt Megawatt, Switz.

Swiss company Alpha Real AG launched the first rooftop program in Europe in 1987, with Projekt Megawatt: 333 3-kW rooftop PV systems Pictured is the rooftop PV system of Swiss politician Maria Iselin, who shows this image on her Web site, and touts its multiyear, trouble-free operation

Source: http://www.mariaiselin.ch/
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Today: BIPV Meets the Market

50,000 MW Flat Roof Potential in US

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GreenTech Media BIPV Forecast

BIPV has benefits of greater aesthetic flexibility, enhanced functional value. BIPV has potential for lower costs due to an integrated design approach, and mortgage-based finance options For widespread growth, BIPV must approach cost competitiveness with conventional PV. The market is, and will continue to be, price-driven. Two types of BIPV products with see large growth:
#1: Roofing elements (especially tiles and membranes) #2 Glass-based products (fenestration, faade)

One success strategy: a PV company joins forces with a building industry partner, overcoming historical friction between trades
Source: GreenTech Media, 2007

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Maycock (PV Energy): PV Production Growth

Source: Paul Maycock, PV Energy, 2008, IEEE PVSC

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U.S. Forecast to 2012: PV Growth by Market

U.S. BIPV in 2008: 40.5 MW

U.S. BIPV in 2012: 200 MW

Source: EuPD Research 2008

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NanoMarkets BIPV Projection-7/08

By 2013, there will be an installed capacity of 10.8 GWp of BIPV, including 7.0 GWp in residential applications The largest segment is the PVencapsulated roofing product market (consisting of solar tiles, slates, and shingles) which will generate $2.5 billion in revenues.

Source: NanoMarkets, 2008

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BIPV: Building Product or Electric Power System?

BIPV is both Building Product and Electric System

Though it may or may not be the weatherproof skin, BIPV is a building product that must last (aesthetically and functionally) along with the other exterior and interior building components. Designers must consider replacement and maintenance economics as building-owner sensitivities. As an electric generator, the BIPV system must be fault tolerant, must work when somewhat degraded, and/or must have a seamless backup capability. System monitoring is essential to alert user or owner to potential problems, ensure smooth, continuous operation. Is it working? How hard is it to maintain or repair or replace a module?

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BIPV Reliability: What could possibly go wrong?

All the usual issues that affect reliability of PV, including exposure to climatic conditions, operating temperature, installation-induced stress and differential exposure to radiation also affect BIPV And, there may be special issues associated with installation that especially affect only BIPV, and only some systems, even those using the same product, if the installation techniques vary.

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Field-Degraded Thin-Film Modules

Source: Powerlight (aka Sunpower)

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BIPV Maintainability

When the challenges of cost and aesthetics have been overcome, the single largest issue for BIPV is maintenance We need to recognize that systems will fail, and to understand failure mechanisms Automated failure detection and ease of maintenance procedures are of paramount importance to building owners and operators.

Source: GreenTechMedia, 2007

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Biggest Residential Rooftop Market for BIPV is the Tile, with Many Manufacturers in Production
Kyocera MyGen Meridian

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BIPV/Building Industry Partners

As noted, numerous BIPV companies now produce a roofing tile product to meet the largest part of the residential demand for BIPV Companies such as Open Energy bring roofing experience to BIPV. Their BIPV tile can be treated as a roof tile, including walking on it.

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NREL Tile Roof BIPV Study

Counter-batten installation

Source: Muller, del Cueto, Marion, et al, NREL 2008

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NREL BIPV Study: Preliminary Results

Lower operating temperatures with the manufacturer-recommended installation (counter-batten) were observed, resulting in higher energy production. Although not part of this study, we can speculate about the long-term effects of higher operating temperatures with direct-mount installation on module and system reliability. The need for more extensive study with more system types and participants is imperative for assessment of BIPV reliability.

Side-by-side evaluation of counterbatten vs. direct-mount installations

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Photo Courtesy of Premier Homes

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Misawa Homes - BIPV refined

2007

2001 2007 Misawa Homes Catalog

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Membrane Roofing with Thin Film

Another large component of the BIPV market

230 kW, Los Angeles, Coca Cola

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Glass-Based Products: Skylights/Faades

Atlantis Saint Gobain

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Source: Atlantis

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Conclusions:
More than 10 GW of BIPV is projected to be installed in the next 5 years, primarily on rooftops and faades BIPV products have both potential advantages and potential issues for installation in deployed bases. Proper installation, following manufacturer guidelines, results in improved BIPV system performance, which benefits electricity production and the buildings into which they are integrated.

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