Comparative performance assessment of four BIPV roof solutions in the Netherlands
conference paper
A significant amount of globat energy consumption takes place in the built environment, with as collateral effect
CO2-related climate change. One of the strategies to realize a significant CO2 reduction is by integrating
photovoltaic modules in the building envelope (BIPV). Disadvantages of BIPV include a possibly lower energy
output and a possibly decreased life span due to the lack of optimal cooling of the PV modules. Currently,
cooling of PV modules is usually realized by passive back-string ventilation, which is under strain when
integration PV modules in the building envelope. In this study, a comparative field study of BIPV is conducted
in the field lab 'The District of Tomorrow'to generate insight into BIPV efficiency as a function of back-string
ventilation. This paper presents a selection of the monitoring results of the realized system, consisting of 24 PY
modules in 4 segments with a total of 6000 Wp output with different amounts of back-string ventilation. The
measurements indicate that in a moderate climate BIPV solutions without back-string ventilation result in
increased operating temperatures, lower electricity output and condensation between PV modules and rooftop
surface. To decrease relative humidity levels and operating temperatures to acceptable values, back-string
ventilation is seen as an effective cooling medium in the presented field case
CO2-related climate change. One of the strategies to realize a significant CO2 reduction is by integrating
photovoltaic modules in the building envelope (BIPV). Disadvantages of BIPV include a possibly lower energy
output and a possibly decreased life span due to the lack of optimal cooling of the PV modules. Currently,
cooling of PV modules is usually realized by passive back-string ventilation, which is under strain when
integration PV modules in the building envelope. In this study, a comparative field study of BIPV is conducted
in the field lab 'The District of Tomorrow'to generate insight into BIPV efficiency as a function of back-string
ventilation. This paper presents a selection of the monitoring results of the realized system, consisting of 24 PY
modules in 4 segments with a total of 6000 Wp output with different amounts of back-string ventilation. The
measurements indicate that in a moderate climate BIPV solutions without back-string ventilation result in
increased operating temperatures, lower electricity output and condensation between PV modules and rooftop
surface. To decrease relative humidity levels and operating temperatures to acceptable values, back-string
ventilation is seen as an effective cooling medium in the presented field case
TNO Identifier
505799
Source title
ICBEST. Building for a Changing World, June 9-12, 2014, Aachen, Germany
Pages
1-17
Files
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