Performance Evaluation of a Building Integrated PV (BIPV) at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) is a promising technology that combines the generation of energy into the building structure where the modules act as building material or blend completely with architectural design. This study analyses the performance characteristics of a proposed BIPV system for Heriot-Watt University Malaysia building, the system is designed with aim to utilize the curved roof area of the building. The available roof area of 7725 m2 is curved with varying tilt angles from 1.5° to 26°. The environmental plugin Ladybug integrated within Grasshopper was used to visualize and estimate the energy potential from the roof surface in Rhinoceros 3D modeling software. Additionally, detailed system simulations are conducted with PVSyst software. Eight proposed system variants of different PV technologies and modules types are studied with capacities of 411.8 kW to 1085.6 kW. The recommended system has a size of 1085.5 kW and utilizes Thin-film CdTe PV modules. The system generates 1415 MWh annually with a performance ratio of 84.9%, which saves 62.8% of the electricity bill and has an estimated cost of 901 thousand USD. Installation of the proposed system should preserve the aesthetical value of the building's roof and satisfy BIPV rules.