Design and application knowledge of photovoltaic building integration (BIPV) technology

Photovoltaic building integration (BIPV) is a photovoltaic material, which is used to replace the traditional building materials in some building envelope structures. Residential architects and builders also began to integrate photovoltaic materials into the exterior of the residence. BIPV can be connected to the residence as a curtain wall, panel, balcony or sunshade. In addition, PV visual glass can be used instead of traditional double pane windows and skylights to provide power and transparency.

The advantages of BIPV system include: no additional land is required, building energy consumption is reduced, and energy can be transmitted with negligible transmission loss. Some barriers to BIPV systems may include the cost of BIPV products, maintenance, and lack of knowledge to use BIPV technology for design. The installation of BIPV also requires the cooperation of several construction industries, such as electricians, roofers, architects and engineers.

If the photovoltaic system includes batteries, the material and installation costs will be higher. The battery may increase the time required for installation by 50% or more. Factors that determine the cost of backup battery system include component price, cycle life, life and battery maintenance. Lower installation costs may be at the expense of quality and battery life, while the need to replace batteries frequently will increase costs over time. Perhaps the most important factor to consider in a battery backup system is cycle life. The design, materials, process and quality will affect the cycle time of the battery. The typical battery life is about 10 years, and it is maintained monthly and annually.