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.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico: The state of the solar market

Like most territories in the Caribbean Islands, Puerto Rico struggles to provide constant electricity via conventional sources. However, it has made some tremendous strides in solar energy exploitation in the last couple of years. Currently, the Island targets to attain 40% renewable energy by 2025 and 100% by 2050. This target is mainly responsible for Puerto Rico’s solar market growth over the last couple of years.

In 2017, the Island had a utility-scale installed solar capacity of 127 Megawatts and 88 Megawatts of small-scale installed capacity. In February 2021, Puerto Rico’s electric power authority requested proposals to generate 1 Gigawatt of renewable energy capacity. This reveals that the Puerto Rican solar market is poised for further growth.

 What does this growth mean for you as a solar installer or any other photovoltaic professional? Well, the development of any market always comes with vast opportunities. So, it’s accurate to say that several lucrative opportunities are waiting for you in Puerto Rico’s budding solar market.

Does Puerto Rico have the capacity to produce and supply solar equipment?  

Even though Puerto Rico is still a young solar market, it enjoys a substantial presence of solar equipment manufacturers and suppliers. If you are searching for a reliable equipment supplier in Puerto Rico, Solarfeeds has got you covered. We help prospective clientele access leading solar equipment manufacturers and suppliers in different markets, including Puerto Rico.

The best thing about choosing to work with Solarfeeds is that you don’t have to move around requesting quotes. A simple visit to our inquiry page solves all your problems. Moreover, we guarantee quality and affordable equipment. 

Ports and Logistics services in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico boasts of several major ports. It also has one of the most advanced logistics infrastructures in the Caribbean Islands. Basically, the country is every solar installer’s and photovoltaic professional’s dream-come-true.