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.

Taiwan, Province of China

Solar Market Outlook in Taiwan

The Taiwanese solar energy sector is one of the rapidly growing industries in Asia. In 2021, it is targeting to achieve a growth of 1.5 to 1.7 GW of solar capacity. In order to meet this target growth rate, the Taiwanese government is accelerating its development efforts for the coming year. 

The government of Taiwan is currently promoting its PV policy while also building construction timelines for ground-mounted projects. There are two areas that the Taiwanese solar PV market is focusing on: fishery-solar hybrid power stations and major electricity consumers. If plans push through, Taiwan is looking at a solar market future with a green energy certification scheme and feed-in tariff scheme in place. 

The government of Taiwan took serious steps toward the start of its switch to solar and wind power at the start of 2020. However, it is still a long way to go before it can mitigate any losses incurred from the shutdown of coal plants. With the renewed focus on solar energy, the government expects that reliance on coal for energy production will drop from 44% to 37% in 2030. The economic leaders in Taiwan have previously set the target of 20 GW in solar energy production by 2025, although solar project managers are doubtful that they can hit this target. 

Solar Energy Equipment Supply Capacity in Taiwan

Taiwan currently has a shortage of local solar equipment suppliers and manufacturers. However, there are several global suppliers and distributors to increase its solar installation capacity. 

Top Major Seaports & Logistics in Taiwan

To facilitate ease of trade and transport of solar equipment in Taiwan, the following ports are open for trade and logistics activity:

• Port of Taipei,
• Port of Taichung,
• Port of Kaohsiung,
• Hualien Port,
• Port of Keelung,
• Mailiao Harbor.