Photovoltaic Roofs, What are photovoltaic roofs

Photovoltaic Roofs speaks to what are photovoltaic roofs and why photovoltaic roofs.

(PV) materials are metal panels or shingles of asphalt slate, fiber cement or metal laminated with thin film semiconductor materials and capable of converting solar radiation into electrical energy.

When they are installed as part of a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system, the electricity produced by these materials can be used to power a building’s own equipment and systems or where permitted by the public power utility, can be sold back to the utility to offset power consumption charges. Electrical power from BIPV systems is produced without pollution or the depletion of natural resources.

The essential components of a BIPV system are an array of PV modules (the PV roofing material), controller equipment to regulate the current generated by the modules, and an inverter to convert the direct current (DC) output of the modules to alternating current (AC) compatible with the conventional building power.

Standalone or off grid BIPV systems which are systems, not connected to the public utility grid also require a power storage system, usually in the form of rechargeable batteries and often also include a backup power system such as diesel generators.

Estimating the potential power contribution of a BIPV system and evaluating its potential economic payback for a particular project require an analysis of the project’s geographic location, solar exposure, projected power needs, utility costs and additional factors.









Photovoltaic Roofs

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