The effect of building integration on the temperature and performance of photovoltaic modules

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), in particular roof-integrated PV is an aesthetically attractive option for many homes, but is understood to perform slightly below on-roof mounting of traditional modules as a result of the poorer ventilation. Previous studies have attempted to quantify this effect empirically for a variety of cell types. However, the performance varies significantly with location, both due to weather conditions and local construction practices, which in turn leads to different levels of ventilation and thermal gradients. We hereby use a purpose built roof construction with 4 different roof configurations and integrate monocrystalline Si modules in each to quantify differences in annual yields resulting from each roof type. Over the course of a year, a module embedded in the most common tiled roof type generates ca. 3% less energy than an onroof equivalent.