Steve PesterPrincipal Consultant

BRE

the aesthetically acceptable approach

Solar power on buildings20th Oct 2010

Welcome!

Lots of solar conferences out there…

thanks for coming to BRE!

What’s this conference about?

• Bringing building designers into the solar equation

• Looking at:– PV market– Aesthetically attractive products– without losing sight of the financial aspects

• Looking outwards from our island

Building Research EstablishmentA world leading centre of expertise for the construction

industry, providing research, consultancy and information services to customers worldwide.

BRE

BRE Structure

BRE TrustCharity funding

Research into builtenvironment

BREConsultancy

& Testing

BRE GlobalCertification

BRE VenturesNew products, IP & business ventures

BRE TrainingWide variety of

construction-relatedtraining

BRE in Low Carbon Technology

• PV Domestic Field Trial• Clear Skies grant scheme• CSEP & LCBP grant schemes• Microgeneration Certification Scheme

– Products & Installers

• SAP & CSH• Product Testing• Research & publications• Consultancy for individual clients

– energy companies, developers, architects, RDAs, LAs, Government, etc

BRE on Building Integrated Photovoltaics

• Workshop 2009 for top construction & PV companies & researchers

• Research into BIPV market, components and supply chain – BRE Trust funded – more later

• Certificating BIPV products & installers, input to standards• Product testing• Feasibility Studies & FITs advice• Networking – UK & overseas• Overlapping areas – energy modelling, lighting, Code for

Sustainable Homes

Mass market PV is here…

World Cup sponsorshipWhat was next

to this ad.?

Photo: Photon International 7-2010

Strong Driversfor PV in UK

Feed-InTariffs

Feed-InTariffs

GreenImage

GreenImage

BuildingRegs

BuildingRegs

PVInstallations

PVInstallations

UK Predictions

• UK PV installations expected to increase ten-fold this year (up from 10 MW in 2009)

SolarBuzz UK PV Market Survey 2010

• “..up to 500 MW of yearly installations in 2014 under a Policy-Driven scenario.”

EPIA: Global Market Outlook until 2014

Ofgem Figures since launch of FITs

Ofgem PV Installation Figures (FITs)

407

891

1406

2704

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

April May June July

Syst

ems

560% rise in 4 months

Is this sustainable?

A better way?

we think so…

example

example

…practical, aesthetically good solutions

Standard modules can also be integrated

Sliding shutters & shades

Design & multi-functionality

• Weatherproof skin

• Noise barrier

• Sun shading

• Heating & cooling

• Electricity

Volksbank, Karlsruhe

It is starting to happen on a small scale, but…

Effect of Feed-in Tariffs (FITs)

• No differentiation for BIPV

• Review April 2013

• France and Italy have BIPV premium FIT rate; lower rates for the more common installations

• More on FITs later..

Breaking down the barriers between sectors

• Historically:

PV ModuleIndustry

ConstructionIndustry

Breaking down the barriers between sectors

• Need:

PVIndustry

ConstructionIndustry

BIPV Products Design

Education

Summarising drivers for BIPV

• Retrofit reaction (planners & public)

• Desire for green flagship buildings is increasing (e.g. Strata SE1)

• Cost of key PV components falling – cells, thin film

• Cost of grid electricity predicted to rise quickly, and supply is uncertain (affects all PV)

• FITs – adjustment to favour BIPV in 2013?

BIPV challenges - Education

Overcoming misunderstanding of capability and application of BIPV by:

• Educating public, planners & government before any reaction to retrofit affects whole market

• Demonstration of cost-effectiveness

• Demonstration good design & integration into buildings

Other BIPV challenges

• Clear route to certification for BIPV products• More BIPV for retrofit as well as newbuild• New building components required• Construction industry / PV workshop (BRE 2009)

highlighted these concerns:– Perceived system cost– Product lifetime - Warrantees– Aesthetic choices

• Making PV fit into our World, not vice versa

Speakers

Thanks for your attention…

Energy research Centre, Netherlands