Bringing down costs of BIPV multifunctional solutions and processes along the value chain, enabling widespread nZEBs implementation

ended

Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology has the potential to significantly contribute to the achievement of the demanding energy efficiency targets set by the EU, however, its market uptake has been hindered in the past years by the difficulties of the industry in providing holistic solutions complying with key demands from decision makers and end-users. In this sense, it is a common perception that a joint industrial effort is needed to conceive and develop highly-efficient and multifunctional energy producing construction materials, in order to provide market opportunities at a world-wide level for the European photovoltaic and construction industry value chains. This market deployment depends critically on the achievement of ambitious targets in terms of significant cost reduction, flexibility of design, high performance, reliability in the long-term, aesthetics, standardization and compliance with legal regulations. Within this context, the main objective of BIPVBOOST project is to bring down the cost of multifunctional building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems, limiting the overcost with respect to traditional, non-PV, construction solutions and non-integrated PV modules, through an effective implementation of short and medium-term cost reduction roadmaps addressing the whole BIPV value chain and demonstration of the contribution of the technology towards mass realization of nearly Zero Energy Buildings. In order to address these global objectives and maximize the impacts, the project will optimally combine and demonstrate in real operation conditions: (i) a completely flexible and automated BIPV manufacturing and control line, (ii) a large portfolio of multifunctional BIPV products optimally integrated in the building envelope, (iii) process and energy management innovation based on digitalization and (iv) advanced standardization activities supporting the qualification of BIPV systems for a massive implementation in the building skin.