Title: Building Integrated Photovoltaics – A smart and sustainable energy solution
Abstract:
Global demand for energy is increasing rapidly, because of population and economic growth, especially in emerging market economies. Cities consume more than two-thirds of the world’s energy resources and are responsible for around the same share of CO2 emissions. Buildings alone are responsible for 36% of global energy consumption and nearly 40% of total direct and indirect CO2 emissions. At the current pace, the global energy use in buildings could double or even triple by 2050, as the world’s population living in cities is projected to increase further in the next decades. To cope with the size of the challenge, cities in Pakistan will have to utilize renewable energy resources and foster significant investments in energy efficiency. As per new policy, all new buildings that will be occupied by public authorities should be nearly zero energy rated. This means that new buildings must generate their own energy from renewable sources and not be wholly reliant on traditional grid-based forms of fossil fuel related energy. Integrating photovoltaics in buildings represents a feasible solution towards energy efficient buildings and in order to achieve sustainable goals in cities, harvesting the full potential of the building (facades, windows, etc.) for renewable energy generation is required. Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) potential to integrate into the building envelope holds aesthetic appeal for architects, builders, and property owners and is a market sector that is expected to grow dramatically over the next 5–10 years. At present, BIPV products are based on three main categories of technologies: i) Crystalline silicon solar panels mainly used for ground-based and roof top applications, ii) Thin-film based technologies such as: Amorphous silicon, CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Selenide) or Cadmium Telluride, and iii) 3rd generation solar cells including organic photovoltaics and perovskite based solar cells.
Among them, 3rd generation solar cells have attracted substantial interest in BIPV due to reduced cost and possess a number of key advantages, including low weight, aesthetic value for architects and can be printed in any pattern (i.e., due to flexible subtract, such cells could be the possibility for lamination onto 3D structures making relatively low cost BIPVs, without significant compromise in their efficiency).
The benefits of BIPV are manifold: BIPV not only produces on-site clean electricity without requiring additional land area, but can also impact the energy consumption of a building through daylight utilization and reduction of cooling loads. BIPV can therefore contribute to developing net-zero energy buildings. Turning roofs and façades into energy generating assets, BIPV is the only building material that has a return on investment (ROI). Furthermore, the diverse use of BIPV systems opens many opportunities for architects and building designers to enhance the visual appearance of buildings. Finally, yet importantly, building owners benefit from reduced electricity bills and the positive image of being recognized as “green” and “innovative”.
Biography: