A Long-term Period Performance Assessment of a Building Integrated Photovoltaic System

Abstract

Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems can be defined as PV modules, which can be integrated in building's envelope by replacing conventional building materials such as windows, tiles etc. and have an impact on the functionality of the buildings. Considering the huge share (40%) of buildings in total energy consumption and nearly zero-energy building target of the European Union (EU), BIPV systems present a sustainable solution and have gained increased interest in last years. In this study, the performance of a BIPV system, which was installed on Feb. 8, 2016 on the façade of a campus building at Yasar University, İzmir, Turkey within the framework a EU/FP7 project and has a capacity of 7.44 kWp, is evaluated for a three-year period using first and second laws of thermodynamics. Within this context, real (experimental) monthly and yearly electricity productions are determined and compared with the results obtained from the simulations. Energy and exergy efficiencies and performance ratios of the system are also calculated based on the cell and total areas.