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

Wholesalers

Solar Products Wholesalers 

Wholesaling refers to buying some products or goods directly from its manufacturer usually at a discount and then reselling it to the retailers for a comparatively higher cost than the original. Basically, wholesalers handle products and package them in small quantities and then sell them to retail customers, either for commercial or personal use. 

Many industries have wholesalers, and that will not skip the solar industries. Nowadays, many solar wholesale stores/firms are operating across the globe, making it much easier for retailers to go solar. Sometimes retailers find it hard to reach direct manufacturers of solar products because some companies do not have their solar stores/shops in public, with that they are not also offering solar products per piece. Through wholesale solar stores/shops, these individuals can easily buy the solar products that they need to replace or maintain their solar systems. 

If you are in need of solar product suppliers for an individual purpose, you may visit some solar outsourcing marketplace to get an updated list of solar wholesalers near your location. There are many solar platforms that provide enough information and data about the solar industry in your region, including all the reliable solar wholesalers in town.

Fiji

Fiji’s solar market status

Most Pacific Island countries spend vast chunks of their annual GDPs on fuel imports. This is illogical considering that there is no shortage of renewable sources of energy in the Pacific region. Is Fiji different from other Pacific states that are dependent on costly fossil fuels for their daily needs?

The most recent statistics concerning Fiji’s solar market reveal that the country has an installed solar capacity of 4 Megawatts. This meager solar capacity is a course for concern primarily because its solar potential is approximately 170 Gigawatt-hours annually. However, the government’s newfound desire to exploit the nation’s renewable energy potential offers something to smile about.

Fijian authorities are currently working on what could be the largest solar energy project in the pacific region. They plan to install at least 15 Megawatts of solar generation capacity with financial support from the International Financial Corporation. The success of this project is most likely to open up new opportunities for solar installers and professionals in the Fijian solar market.  

Fijian solar market equipment supply capacity

Even though Fiji is an emerging solar market, it enjoys a good presence of solar equipment suppliers. Some readily available equipment in Fiji includes solar panels, batteries, inverters, and charge controllers. Nevertheless, these suppliers serve a small market and may not have the capacity to supply mega-project equipment. In such a scenario, the best course of action is importing equipment from leading brands in established solar markets.

Fiji’s Suva and Lautoka ports make it easy to import solar equipment from any leading solar equipment brands on Solarfeeds. We are the source of the most competitive equipment quotes in the global solar sector. The only thing you need to do is visit our inquiry page and send us a request.