The "Century Marriage" of Architecture and Energy: The "Electric Magic" of BIPV

Under the tide of the "dual carbon" goals, Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) has become a highly anticipated "new favorite" in the fields of architecture and energy. It not only cloaks buildings in a green energy "garment," but also opens up a commercially promising new blue ocean in the journey towards carbon neutrality. Today, let's unveil the mystery of BIPV and explore its market potential and infinite possibilities!

 

Market Size: Explosive Growth, a Promising Future

 

According to authoritative predictions, the BIPV market is experiencing unprecedented explosive growth. The global BIPV market has achieved a compound annual growth rate of over 20% since 2015. It is predicted that by 2025, the global BIPV market size will exceed US$10 billion. From a regional distribution perspective, Europe is currently the largest BIPV market, accounting for over 40% of the global market share in 2019, with Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK leading the way. The US market follows closely behind, with policy promotion and market demand in states such as California and Texas driving rapid growth in the BIPV market.

The scale and growth rate of the Chinese market are particularly noteworthy. In 2022, China's newly installed BIPV capacity reached 11.9GW, and approximately 24.5GW in 2023. The compound annual growth rate is projected to be approximately 23.09% from 2024 to 2028, reaching 78.5GW by 2028, with a market size of around 400 billion yuan. This is mainly due to the introduction of the "dual carbon" goals and the acceleration of green transformation in the construction sector. In 2024, the Chinese BIPV market size is expected to reach 158 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 27.3%, with a newly installed capacity of 36.5GW. By 2025, the market size will further expand to 200 billion yuan, and the newly installed capacity is expected to exceed 45GW. From a regional distribution perspective, East China is the largest BIPV market in China, accounting for 42% of the total market, followed by South China at 21%, North China and Central China at 15% and 12% respectively, and Southwest and Northwest China with a combined share of 10%.

 

Policy Drive: Multi-Party Support, Paving the Fast Track for Development

 

Policy support is the core driving force behind the explosive growth of the BIPV market. In China, the government has clarified the promotion goals and paths for BIPV technology through a series of policy documents. The "Implementation Plan for Carbon Peak in the Urban and Rural Construction Sector" requires that by 2025, the photovoltaic coverage rate of newly built public institution buildings and newly built factory rooftops should strive to reach 50%, while also promoting the installation of photovoltaic systems on existing public building rooftops. The "2024-2025 Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Action Plan" issued by the State Council also clearly proposes accelerating the transformation of power grids, improving the carrying capacity of distributed new energy, and vigorously developing microgrids, virtual power plants, and BIPV technologies. At the local government level, Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai Pudong, and other places have introduced subsidy policies, such as Beijing subsidizing BIPV projects at 0.4 yuan/kWh, and Shanghai Pudong subsidizing BIPV projects at 0.95 yuan/watt, with a maximum of 5 million yuan per project. Shenzhen is accelerating the promotion of BIPV technology through pilot projects and technology lists.

 

The improvement of industry standards has also provided a guarantee for the healthy development of the BIPV market. China has issued 17 BIPV-related standards (including 10 national standards), especially the "General Specification for Building Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Utilization" (GB55015-2021), which officially came into effect on April 1, 2022. This specification is a mandatory engineering construction specification, requiring newly built buildings to install solar energy systems, which must be completed simultaneously with the building design. In addition, products from companies such as China Construction Xingye have passed 88 building performance tests and 56 electrical performance tests, including fire prevention, durability, adhesion, product strength, and other certification tests, and are currently promoting relevant certifications in Singapore, laying a solid foundation for the promotion of the BIPV market.

 

 

Economic Analysis: Cost Reduction, Significant Returns

 

Technological innovation is a key factor driving the development of the BIPV market. In terms of efficiency improvement, the average conversion efficiency of BIPV systems reached 21.5% in 2024, with monocrystalline silicon components reaching a maximum efficiency of 22.3%, polycrystalline silicon components at 20.9%, and thin-film solar cells at 17.8%. In addition, perovskite technology is accelerating commercialization, providing more efficient and low-cost solutions for the BIPV market.

 

In terms of photovoltaic component selection, crystalline silicon components have become mainstream due to their high conversion efficiency (16% - 22%) and low cost, while thin-film components have unique advantages in high light transmission and aesthetic applications. From an economic comparison perspective, BIPV projects have significant investment value. From a long-term return perspective, BIPV projects have investment value when the IRR is between 8.8% and 21.6%, while industrial and commercial projects typically reach 16% - 35%, significantly higher than traditional photovoltaic projects. In addition, BIPV systems also have building energy-saving functions, and their passive energy-saving benefits can exceed power generation benefits, further enhancing the overall value of the project.

 

 

Application Scenarios: Diversified Layout, Illuminating Green Buildings

 

BIPV has a wide range of applications, covering almost all parts of a building and giving buildings new green functions.

Photovoltaic Roofs: Industrial and commercial factory rooftops are currently the most economically viable application scenario. Replacing traditional color-coated steel sheets with photovoltaic components not only provides excellent power generation capabilities but also serves as high-quality building materials, achieving the ideal effect of "two uses in one," saving costs for enterprises while contributing to environmental protection.

Photovoltaic Curtain Walls: The photovoltaic curtain wall of Mingyang Group's headquarters building is like putting on a "power-generating armor," both beautiful and practical, adding a unique technological charm to the building.

Image source © Mingyang Thin Film Technology

Photovoltaic Skylights: The photovoltaic skylight of the permanent venue for the Global Top Scientists Forum cleverly integrates lighting and power generation functions. Sunlight shines through the photovoltaic panels, ensuring the interior is bright and airy while continuously generating clean energy.

Image source © Mingyang Thin Film Technology

Photovoltaic Shading and Corridors: Photovoltaic corridors provide shade and shelter from rain while silently collecting solar energy, achieving a perfect combination of building function and energy production.

Image source © Mingyang Thin Film Technology

Other Innovative Applications: Innovative products such as photovoltaic railings and photovoltaic floor tiles are constantly emerging, turning every corner of a building into a green energy collection point, truly achieving "power generation everywhere".

 

 

Challenges and Future Trends: Facing Difficulties, Embracing Infinite Possibilities

 

Although the BIPV market has broad prospects, it also faces some challenges. Cross-industry collaboration is a problem that needs to be urgently addressed. The building and photovoltaic industries still have inconsistencies in design standards and construction specifications, and further communication and cooperation are needed. At the same time, the safety of BIPV needs to be further improved, especially in high-rise building applications, where fire prevention and wind resistance are crucial.

 

Looking ahead, BIPV may be combined with "photovoltaic storage and flexible" systems to achieve building energy self-sufficiency and intelligent scheduling, providing buildings with more stable and efficient energy solutions. With the dominance of crystalline silicon technology, differentiated competition in thin-film technology, and deepening cross-industry cooperation, BIPV is expected to be scaled up first in industrial and commercial rooftops and public buildings, and gradually penetrate residential and existing buildings, ultimately realizing the green energy vision of "building as a power station."

 

The BIPV market is in a period of rapid growth, with policy support, technological advancements, and improved economics all contributing to its development. Let us look forward to BIPV shining even brighter in the future of the building industry, bringing more greenness and hope to our planet!

 

Follow us and witness the bright future of BIPV!