Can photovoltaic panels be used as building elements?

Aesthetic aspects must be considered when photovoltaic panels are applied as building elements. Colours can be added by reflecting some of the sunlight that otherwise could have been utilized for electricity generation. Reflectance spectra of commercial solar cell modules have been measured and analysed.

Can spectrally solar selective coatings be used for colored flat plate solar collectors?

Spectrally Solar Selective Coatings for Colored Flat Plate Solar Thermal Collectors. In: Visa, I. (eds) Sustainable Energy in the Built Environment - Steps Towards nZEB. Springer Proceedings in Energy.

How can colored PV systems be realized?

This work reviews possible approaches to realize colored PV systems by implementing semitransparent cells, selective reflective films, and luminophores. Additionally, the research progress to minimize light sacrifice for color production has been investigated.

What is a flat plate solar thermal collector?

The active component in a flat plate solar thermal collector is the absorber plate, a spectrally selective coating used to convert the UV-VIS part of the solar radiation into heat and to allow the convection of the IR part of the spectrum, towards the tubes [ 2 ].

What is building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)?

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) has attracted increased commercial interest in recent years due to a growing focus on efficient utilization of land area and local renewable energy generation. Aesthetic aspects must be considered when photovoltaic panels are applied as building elements.

Are coloured solar cells suitable for buildings?

For most buildings black surfaces are not desired, and only lighter and coloured solar modules will be considered. Efficient and aesthetically pleasing coloured solar cell modules therefore represent an important contribution towards more widespread use of BIPV in buildings.