BIPV

What is a Building Integrated Photovoltaic or a BIPV?

Building Integrated Photovoltaics serves more than one purpose. BIPVs produce electricity by the piezoelectric effect and serve as protection for any structure. 

BIPVs are installed to provide shed, block sunlight, and give a modern look to any building, all this while producing electricity from sunlight.

Where is a BIPV used?

A BIPV is integrated into a structure like conventional buildings. BIPVs replace glass windows with Solar windows, parking shed rooftops with solar roofs and solar shades in place of translucent covers. All these changes make the look of any structure modern while being extremely useful.

Types of Building Integrated Photovoltaics

Solar panels are silicon-based photovoltaic cells that produce electricity from sunlight. With micro adjustments according to the application, these cells transform into BIPVs. Based on various applications, there are broadly four types of BIPVs.

Image credit: Research Gate

• Solar-Facades: Solar Facades’ integration in building structures keeps the noise and air pollution out and gives any building a visual identity. This all while producing green energy.

• Solar-Window: Solar windows find their application both in residential and commercial properties. These windows look like any other windows but with solar modules.

• Solar-Roofs: Solar roofs like that of Tesla Energy in the USA are becoming popular. In conventional rooftops, these solar tiles replace asphalt tiles. Every tile acts as an individual cell and connects in series to generate electricity.

• PV-Sunshades: Parking lot sheds are the best example of PV-Sunshades. Additionally, these shades protect buildings from direct sunlight.

How does a BIPV work?

BIPVs use opaque or transparent solar cells connected in series to each other to give a substantial amount of current output. These photovoltaics are located in the portion of the building exposed to the sun the most.

What are big manufacturing brands of BIPVs?

Tesla Energy is one major brand in the USA backed by Elon Musk. They manufacture solar cell tiles for residential rooftops. Customers get a variety of tiles according to the required strength and size.

Some other contributors in this niche are:

• D2solar
• Mysolar USA  
• Omnis Power USA Inc  
• Redwood Renewables
• Skyco Skylights
• Solaria
• Sonali Solar USA

Distributors

Solar Products Distributors

Distributors are those companies working as big warehouses that served as the middlemen between the consumer/customer and the manufacturer. Typically, in distribution, a company is handling the sourcing, stocking and logistics but nowadays they are also helping manufacturers in product designing and solving other business conflicts. 

Aside from other industries, distributors also play a vital role in the solar industry. Solar distributors become long-term partners of solar manufacturing companies and even solar contractors. They are not only serving as warehouse facilities but partners that also provide strategic solutions to help solar companies achieve their desired outcomes. Solar distributors assist solar manufacturing companies by storing. handling and shipping their solar products to their buyers. On the other hand, they help solar contractor companies in outsourcing high-quality solar products. 

These solar distributors are the ones who deal with homeowners who want to go solar, businesses that work with the solar industry and solar installers who offer solar system services to both residential and commercial customers. But on top of that, the solar distributor’s main role is to maintain its commitment to outsourcing and handling high-quality products and delivering them to customers at a good value. 

Up to these days, many solar distributors have been operating and helping many solar companies in distributing their products. So, if you are looking for the most trusted and reliable solar distributor, you can easily find one by checking out solar outsourcing companies that provide easy access to reliable information, news, data and a list of solar suppliers and distributors near you.

Costa Rica

A brief review of Costa Rica’s solar market outlook

Costa Rica, a Central American country, has achieved impressive renewable energy capacity in recent years. In 2019, the nation’s renewable energy share hit 99.15%. Looking at this renewable energy share capacity, one may assume that its solar capacity is equally impressive. Unfortunately, that assumption is inaccurate.

Solar market share statistics revealed that Costa Rica’s installed solar capacity stood at 5.4 Megawatts at the end of 2019. This figure accounts for only 0.08% of the Central American nation’s cumulative energy capacity. Any solar expert will agree that this is a severe course for concern.

However, things are looking up for Costa Rica’s nascent solar market. In June 2021, the Costa Rican government commenced bids for a large-scale photovoltaic project to power two municipalities. This move indicates a newly-found desire to support and build the Central American country’s emerging solar market. Looking forward, solar installers and other photovoltaic professionals should expect limitless opportunities in Costa Rica’s emerging solar market.

Solar equipment production and supply capability in Costa Rica

 As I mentioned above, Costa Rica is an emerging solar market. Still, the nation’s solar equipment production and supply capability is something to smile about. Several equipment manufacturers and distributors serve the nascent Costa Rican solar market. Do you need a trustworthy equipment supplier?

If the answer is yes, the Solarfeeds family has got you covered. Our website gives you access to leading solar equipment manufacturers serving Costa Rica. The sole task you need to undertake is going to the website’s inquiry page and request quotes.

Costa Rica’s ports and logistics services

Before venturing into any solar market, you must first consider the ease of accessing equipment. This means you must be able to import equipment if the need arises. Well, Costa Rica boasts of several sea ports that allow entry of goods from overseas markets. The country also has a healthy logistics services network that permits the safe transportation of equipment locally.