The BIPV living lab at the centre of an international comparative study

The living laboratory for building-integrated photvoltaics at HZB ind Berlin.

The living laboratory for building-integrated photvoltaics at HZB ind Berlin. © BAIP/HZB

The BIPV living lab at HZB in Berlin-Adlershof is at the centre of an international comparative study for the simulation of coloured solar façades.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) and its Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme are organising this first model comparison for BIPV systems to give PV modellers the opportunity to test their skills and methods using real data and to quantify the differences between different models and modellers. Measured radiation and weather data for an entire year as well as system information for two BIPV installations with differently coloured modules will be provided.

Participants are invited to simulate electrical power and operating temperature, calculate loss factors, and submit their results for comparative analysis.

At the end of the study, the results of this analysis will be published in anonymised form, naming all interested participants.

One of the two systems is a 65 m² area on the south façade of the striking building on Ernst-Ruska-Ufer with its integrated blue solar modules.  For this comparative study, the HZB is providing technical information about the building and its PV system as well as detailed location-specific weather data as a first step.

In a later step, the results of the different modellers will be compared with the actual measurement results and experiences from almost five years of operation.

Further information on this project and the second model project of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) can be found Project link.

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