Feasibility Report for Installing Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) System

Overview of BIPV and its Advantages

Produce a feasibility report for a client interested in installing a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system.

The report should include the following:

an overview of BIPV and its advantages

identification of the potential locations for the array on the selected building

suggestions for the type and size of modules and technical details for your suggestions

a description of why your choice of modules would be suitable for this building

an outline system design, including considerations of connection schemes and component choices

predicted annual output of the system and contribution to building load

compatibility with the design brief of the client

use suitable photographs and diagrams to illustrate your proposed design.

NOTE: you do not need to include an economic assessment of the system, although you should provide a qualitative discussion of any potential economic benefits that may be gained from installation of the system.

Methodology:

Locate a picture (or pictures) of the building of your choice, together with whatever other information you feel is required. You have a free hoice of building within the following constraints:

It should not already have a PV system installed.

It should be a commercial or public sector building (i.e. not residential).

It should be generally suitable for the inclusion of PV on the façade and/or roof.

The array should be integrated into the building (i.e. not stand-off or mounted on a separate frame on the roof).

Each student in the class should select a different building for their project.

Identify a use and ownership of the building and develop a design brief based on the owner you select. Note: this does not have to be the actual use or ownership of the chosen building.

If you wish, you may change the usage of the building as long as it is in keeping with the construction and design of the building.

You should define the usage in the feasibility report.

You may choose to alter the ownership of the building to a fictitious company or person in keeping with the other design attributes assumed.

You should select a location for your building. This can be the current location, or you can choose to relocate your building at another site. You should select a site that is consistent with the design of the building.

You will need solar data for your building location. There are a number of web sites providing solar data for locations around the world. For example, for Europe and Africa, you could use the PVGIS web site . Make sure to select data of the appropriate format and provide a reference to the source. You may also use data contained in the PVSyst database if you use that software (see below), but note that there are a limited number of locations available.

You should select components for your system from company literature, generally available from company web sites.

Carry out a basic system design and performance calculation, assuming reasonable values for operating temperature, performance ratio and other parameters.

Include a predicted annual output for the system and comment on how this would contribute to the electrical loads of the building.

If you wish, you may make use of the system sizing software, PVSyst, which is installed on some of the computers in the open access computer area on the third floor of Ellison Building E block. Please note that these computers are multiple uses, thus

Make sure you save your work to your own U drive or flash drive.

Allow for the fact that others may be using the computers (i.e. do not leave the system design too late!).

Important: If you use PVSyst or any other design software to inform your design, you will be required to discuss the results and comment on the design aspects in the same way as if you had completed the design manually and to demonstrate that you understand the principles fully.

The feasibility report should be presented as if the reader is the building owner and you have been asked to identify where a BIPV system could be included on their building.

Learning Outcomes assessed in this assessment: (1) the development of an outline PV system design for a particular application; (2) design and analysis skills; (3) literature and writing skills.

Assessment Criteria/Mark Scheme:

The assignment will be marked on the following basis (total of 100 marks).

Overview of BIPV: 15 marks

Discussion of BIPV issues for your chosen building: 15 marks

System and component description: 25 marks

System design and output prediction: 25 marks

Format, contents. and presentation of the report: 20 marks