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

Manufacturers

In the simplest terms, manufacturing is the process of producing actual goods or items/products through the use of raw materials, human labour, use of machinery, tools and other processes such as chemical formulation. This process usually starts with product designing and raw material selection, turning them into an actual product output. 

Solar Products Manufacturers and Factories

In terms of solar, manufacturing encompasses the fabrication or production of materials across the solar market chain. The most common product being manufactured by solar companies are the solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which are made with several subcomponents such as solar wafers, cells, glass, back sheets, and frames. Before a solar panel comes into life, it will undergo a lot of processes, from designing, modelling, choosing what raw materials to use and then assembling them all to make the final product.

More Than Just Solar Panels

Aside from the solar panels, solar companies have many other manufactured products that are required to make solar energy systems work smoothly, like solar inverters, batteries, combiner boxes, and racking and tracking structures.

Having a solar manufacturing sector makes a big difference in supplying affordable solar energy in different areas. Aside from maintaining the rising domestic and global demand for cleaner and renewable energy, they also help the economy grow, particularly the solar industry. If you are in search of a reliable solar manufacturing company, checking out our solar outsourcing company, SolarFeeds, would help you get easy access to reliable information, news, data and a list of solar manufacturers that can help you with solar products.

Colombia

Colombia’s solar market outlook

The Republic of Colombia is among the leading proponents of renewable energy in the South American region. As of September 2018, the country’s approximate installed solar capacity was only 20 Megawatts.  Two years down the line, its installed photovoltaic capacity is approximately 80 Megawatts. This growth stint is something to smile about if you are a solar installer or professional eyeing Colombia’s budding solar market.

Looking forward, Colombia is set to become of the most lucrative solar markets in Latin America. This prediction is based on several factors, including the government’s support for the solar sector, tax incentives, and upcoming auctions. It is also essential to note that the government of Columbia is not the only entity pushing for the growth of the country’s solar market.

Energy end-users, investors and electricity providers are looking into solar projects as highly lucrative investments. Are you a solar installer or any other photovoltaic professional looking for opportunities in Latin America? I can assure you that Colombia’s nascent solar market is your best bet.

Solar equipment production and supply capacity in Colombia

There are several local and foreign solar equipment suppliers serving Colombia’s budding solar market. Some of the equipment in Chile include solar panels, inverters, and charge controllers, to name a few. Do you want a solar equipment supplier for your project?

If the answer is yes, you are in the right place. Solarfeeds is home to leading solar equipment suppliers. Go to our website’s inquiry page and send us a request for quotes. We will get back to you faster than you can imagine.

Ports and logistics services in Colombia

The presence of ports and access to reliable logistics services often determine the ease of carrying out projects in a particular market. Well, Colombia boasts of 11 major ports and an advanced logistics services sector. Essentially, you have everything you need to complete your project in time and move on to the next one.