Project: Integrated software tool for performance prediction of BIPV products
Goal_x000D_Within this project, an integrated, accurate and user-friendly software tool will be developed in order to predict BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaic) products performance in real operation conditions. Users will provide information about the BIPV product (cell technology, cell distribution, encapsulation materials, etc.), BIPV product positioning within the building, building location and information on surrounding buildings and receive accurate predictions on optical, thermal and electrical properties of the system, as well as energy production and economic assessment of the installation. _x000D__x000D_Background_x000D_Although there are several PV-oriented simulation software available in the market, it has been detected that no specific software exists which accounts for the special features of building-integrated photovoltaic products. _x000D_As construction products, BIPV elements must comply with the requirements of Construction Products Directive (89/106/EEC ), the Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings (2010/31/EU ) and National Building Codes, which establish very well defined limitations on thermal behaviour. It is not correct to assume that these magnitudes are unchanged when PV cells are included, for example, in a laminated glass, and specific calculations must be performed. Architects and designers also need to know the resulting thermal transmission coefficient, solar factor and optical transmittance of the final element (double glazing curtain wall, skylight, roofs, etc.) including photovoltaics. _x000D_Reviews of existing tools have also identified that most of them are basically focused on conventional solar module technology with no option to create a BIPV module configuration from its components. Crucial aspects such as thermal influences, mismatches or shading effects at different scales are not considered. There are also a number of assumptions about solar irradiance modeling which limit the functionality of these tools to basic preliminary design phases. Finally, they offer in general a poor interface with other building design tools for input and output data. _x000D__x000D_Technical application_x000D_As an initiative to support the expansive BIPV market and solve the above mentionned short commings, HPC-SA has promoted this project to further develop their software offer by incorporating an advanced tool for BIPV products. Their Archiwizard software, already in the market and intended for real time 3D energy simulation for building design, will serve as a privileged basis for this development. _x000D_Customers will be able to handle a powerful software for the complete design and assessment of BIPV products, covering the whole value chain of the solution: optical, thermal and electrical modeling, PV performance prediction and economic assessment of BIPV installations. _x000D_The consortium will work on the development of algorithms, software implementation and monitoring activities in order to generate valid, controlled, data for software testing. _x000D__x000D_Market application_x000D_Due to the special features of BIPV, target customers include the most part of BIPV value chain: worldwide PV manufacturers, PV construction products manufacturers (glass, curtain walls, ventilated façades, roofs, etc.), architects, designers, promoters, energy consulting companies, financial entities and also research institutions are potential users of the tool._x000D_Current BIPV market (2012) amounts to 600 M$ and 400 MW installed annually. According to industry analyst Pike research, BIPV market will show a fourfold increase in its revenues by 2017, reaching 2400 M$ in 2017, with 2,25GW annual installed capacity. A report from Nanomarkets gives similar numbers, with 2100 M$ cumulated in 2012 and 7500 M$ in 2015, 2500 M$ of these corresponding to roof applications, 830 M$ to walling and 4200 M$ to glass products. _x000D__x000D_Consortium_x000D_A solid, complementary consortium has been created to achieve the project goals. Project coordinator is HPC-SA, a SME company based in France, with a significant experience on modeling simulations implementing ray-tracing and several software tools already in the market. BEAR Holding, from the Netherlands, is an (SME) architecture company with several decades of experience in BIPV installations design. Their architects have a privileged view on the requirements applicable on this kind of systems from the architectural perspective. TFM (large company), has a long-term experience in the design and implementation of BIPV installations. ENSAM is a research centre in France which will complement HPC-SA knowledge for model developments. An R&D entity (TECNALIA, from Spain) will assist TFM as subcontractor, given its expertise in monitoring and analysis of PV installations performance.
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Acronym
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BIPV-INSIGHT
(Reference Number: 8248)
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Duration
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01/10/2013 - 31/03/2016
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Project Topic
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An integrated, accurate and user-friendly software tool will be developed in order to predict building-integrated PV (BIPV) products performance in real operation conditions. Algorithms beyond the state-of-the-art will be implemented in a versatile, user-oriented, software application.
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Network
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Eurostars
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Call
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Eurostars Cut-Off 10
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Project partner
