![]() ![]() Combining solar PV and roofing material can provide several cost advantages: But prices could - and should - come down in the future. BIPV May Be Big In The FutureĪt the moment, you can expect to pay much more for a BIPV roof than for a standard roof plus a standard solar system. If the non-solar parts of your roof are dark to blend in with dark PV tiles, the effect can be particularly strong. Because BIPV doesn’t have this effect, it can increase your home’s energy consumption. ![]() BIPV Can Make Your Home Hotterīecause they’re raised, conventional solar panels will shade your roof and make your home cooler than it would otherwise be, reducing the need for air conditioning. This may only reduce their output by a couple of percent, but it’s still something to keep in mind. Hotter cell temperatures mean lower efficiency. This can’t happen with solar roof tiles, and so they tend to be slightly hotter under identical conditions. This allows air to circulate underneath and cool them. ![]() Standard solar panels are installed on rails that raise them off the roof. Heat can also be more of a problem for BIPV. While normal panel manufacturers focus on increasing efficiency, the makers of solar tiles may not have the resources to keep up. BIPV efficiency can also lag behind if the manufacturer doesn’t use the latest solar cell technology. Making them any other colour will reflect some light and reduce output. If a solar tile is anything other than black or a dark bluish-black, it will have lower efficiency. System EfficiencyīIPV is typically less efficient than high-quality, modern solar panels. You may find keeping some spare tiles on hand a worthwhile precaution. But if no one makes your solar roofing material anymore, you could have a serious problem. If normal solar panels need replacing after a hailstorm and the manufacturer has gone out of business, it is possible to use another company’s panels. This is especially true if you need replacement solar tiles. While I would expect solar roofing material to have a PV performance warranty of 25 years or more, making a warranty claim under the performance warranty may be more difficult than the product warranty.Ī BIPV manufacturer going out of business can create problems. This means that after 10+ years, you may end up with a solar roof that still works well as a roof but isn’t doing so well on the electricity generation part. But while BIPV will often have a warranty of 25 years as roof material, its product warranty as solar PV may not be as long. These days, there are many solar panels on the market with both product and performance warranties of 25 years or longer. You may get more kilowatts from your roof by installing high-efficiency solar panels. In reality, most solar tiles can’t cover 100% of the roof. You might think if you make your entire roof BIPV it would produce more power than panels bolted on top. I have no idea who Lucy is or what Wonergy is, but the name of her company has blown my mind. Lucy Xu of Wonergy sent me this picture out of the blue. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |