Common Guidelines for Photovoltaic Curtain Walls in India

Should solar PV facades be included in high-rise buildings in India?

There is a need to include Solar PV Facades from the concept stage in high-rise buildings to ensure proper integration & minimum cost. Thin Film technology is a good choice for Solar PV Facades in India as demonstrated from the results with CdTe modules in this paper. Saving in land resource is also an advantage in using Solar PV for Facades.

Are curtain walls a good application for Photovoltaic Glass?

Curtain walls are becoming a popular application for photovoltaic glass in buildings. They allow for owners to generate power from areas of the building they had never thought of. Buildings become a real power plant, keeping their design appeal, aesthetics, efficiency, and functionality.

Is thin film technology a good choice for solar PV facades in India?

The payback period of less than 2 years is also very attractive. There is a need to include Solar PV Facades from the concept stage for high-rise buildings to ensure proper integration & minimum cost. Thin Film technology is a good choice for Solar PV Facades in India as demonstrated from the results with CdTe modules in this paper.

Do VPV curtain walls block solar radiation?

In contrast, VPV curtain walls with high PV coverage may block large amounts of solar radiation entering the room, increasing energy consumption for lighting and heating. Thus, the single-objective optimal design of the VPV curtain walls is unable to balance its restrictive and even contradictory functions.

Is distributed generation a key aspect of solar PV in India?

Distributed generation is a key aspect of Solar PV in India. Accordingly, high-rise buildings in urban areas which are major consumers of energy need to be utilised as sites for Solar PV. Though roof-top Solar PV has been getting due attention, facades of high-rise build- ings also offer a great opportunity for Solar PV.

Which facade system is suitable for solar PV?

The facade can shield from solar insolation reducing heating/cooling loads and improving distribution of daylight. [1, 3] There are two main building facade systems suitable for Solar PV - Rainscreen Clad- ding (Ventilated Facade) and Curtain Walling.[4,5,6] Rainscreen cladding is used in new as well as renovated buildings.