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.

Panama

Solar Market Outlook in Panama

The National Energy Plan 2015-2020 of Panama has an ambitious target of making 70 percent of the country’s energy supply coming from a renewable source within a 35-year period. This plan is part of the country’s long-term roadmap towards increasing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions through its energy system. 

The country has considered its renewable energy capacity and there are plenty of sources available. Therefore, they are not just looking at solar energy sources but others too like wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower. 

In 2019, Panama has reached 500 MW in solar PV energy. This was a huge leap from the previous year’s 176 MW solar capacity. This solar capacity rate is expected to continue growing as more solar projects are granted licenses. One of the largest projects to date is that of a Spanish firm that is looking at investing in a solar farm. 

Despite the positive outlook for the Panama solar market, there are undeniable challenges that the government is hoping to address. Among these challenges are the current power-market model (that favors conventional energy sources) and lack of flexibility measures. 

Solar Energy Equipment Supply Capacity in Panama

There are many global suppliers and distributors of solar power equipment that are serving the Panama market. This is good news as the local solar power investments are still in its infancy stage. Therefore, residential and industrial segments looking to expand its solar installations will have enough options available. 

Top 4 Major Seaports & Logistics in Panama

Panama has easy access to ports that facilitate logistics and handling of goods like solar power equipment from all over the globe. The list of the major seaports in Panama that facilitate handling of imported and exported goods include the ports in

• Panama City
• Colon, Balboa
• Cristobal
• Manzanillo.