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.

Iraq

Solar Market Outlook in Iraq

For many years now, Iraq has been solid in its commitment in clean energy by attracting investors in solar equipment and power plants. In terms of renewable energy sources, the majority of them are dedicated to solar energy and are favorable for the country given that it receives a large amount of sunlight per year in most of its regions.

As of 2021, Iraq has reached various deals with private sectors in order to continue rolling out its solar projects and meet its renewable energy target in the next few years. One of them is the June 2021 deal with Abu Dhabi’s Masdar (also known as the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) wherein a 2 GW solar energy plant will be constructed. This project will cost approximately $1 Billion. This is just one of many steps that Iraq has taken in order to curb its reliance on traditional energy sources, diversify its energy mix, and to reduce carbon emissions. The last one – reducing pollution – is a strong motivator for the Iraqi government given that the country ranks 12th in the world in terms of pollution.

TotalEnergies from France is also set to build a 1GW solar park in Southern Iraq. This was announced in September 2021 and the project will cost $27 Billion. 

Solar Energy Equipment Supply Capacity in Iraq

Despite the promising future of the solar market in Iraq, there is a limited number of local suppliers and distributors. There is no shortage of global and online distributors and suppliers for those who want to switch to solar energy in Iraq. 

Top Major Seaports & Logistics in Iraq

There are plenty of seaports in Iraq for the trade and transport of solar power equipment namely

• the Port of Basrah,
• Port of Khor Al Zubair,
• Port of Umm Qasr, 
• the Port of Mina Al Bakr.