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Big buildings with Solar Skins are on the way

Switched on: solar cladding takes off  SMH July 24, 2013  From stadiums in Brazil to a bank headquarters in Britain, architects led by Norman Foster are integrating solar cells into the skin of buildings, helping the market for the technology triple within two years.

Sun-powered systems will top the stadia hosting 2014 FIFA World Cup football in Brazil. In Manchester, northern England, the Co-operative Group office has cells from Solar Century clad into its vertical surfaces.

The projects mark an effort by designers to adopt building- integrated photovoltaics, or BIPV, where the power-generating features are planned from the start instead of tacked on as an afterthought. Foster and his customers are seeking to produce eye-catching works while meeting a European Union directive that new buildings should produce next to zero emissions after 2020.

“Building integrated solar in office buildings and factories which generate energy consistently during daylight hours, whilst not requiring additional expensive land space or unsightly installations, is seen as the most obvious energy solution,” said Gavin Rezos, principal of Viaticus Capital Ltd., an Australian corporate advisory company that’s one of the private equity funds putting money into the technology.

The market for solar laid onto buildings and into building materials is expected to grow to $US7.5 billion by 2015 from about $US2.1 billion, according to Accenture Plc, citing research from NanoMarkets. Sales of solar glass are expected to reach as much as $US4.2 billion by 2015, with walls integrating solar cells at $US830 million. About $US1.5 billion is expected to be generated from solar tiles and shingles…………..

generating electricity where it’s used becomes more attractive as the price of energy from large, central fossil- fuel power stations increases. The cost of solar energy is declining as centrally produced power rises, said Accenture’s Russell. That will weigh on utilities.

“Next-generation solar technologies could have a potentially devastating impact on the utility industry’s revenues,” said Russell. “This will force utilities to spread costs across fewer customers, driving up energy prices, and making distributed generation even more attractive.”………. http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/switched-on-solar-cladding-takes-off-20130724-2qi46.html#ixzz2a6q3jo3c

July 25, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, renewable