PV everywhere: the era of Integrated Photovoltaics (X-i-PV)

Floating PV

Vehicle integrated PV (VIPV)

Agri PV

Infrastructure integrated PV (IIPV)

Building integrated PV (BIPV)

• A photovoltaic installation mounted on a floating structure
  

• A PV installation integrated into the vehicle, connected to electric loads or batteries in electric vehicles 
  

• PV combined with standard structures (e.g. greenhouses)
• Intensify the land use (crops harvesting and energy generation)
  

• Refers to embedding solar power in infrastructures such as: noise barriers, carports, streetlights etc.
  

• PV used to replace conventional building materials in parts of the building envelope such as the roof, skylights, windows or facades
  

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FLOATING

• New opportunities to produce solar energy in countries with a high population density and where competition uses for land is rife [13]
• Attractive in combination with hydropower assets as both technologies can benefit from each other: grid connection already in place, reduction of evaporation, complementary production profile…[13]
• Synergies between fresh water and PV: the cooling effect of water can boost the energy yield, reduction or elimination of panel shading, elimination of the need for major site preparation (leveling, foundations etc.) [13] [14]

BIPV

• Thanks to advantageous regulations, the BIPV market is expected to grow by an average of 2.7% per year [15]
• Numerous aesthetically appealing products have been launched (semi transparent, colored PV, flexible etc.) [16]
• Mitigation of the timing imbalance between supply and demand of electricity thanks to BIPV façade oriented towards east or west [17]
• Bring additional revenues at marginal cost thanks to integration on existing envelope functionalities.