What is BIPV?
Let’s try to clear this mess up. BIPV stands for Building Integrated Photovoltaics and refers to solar energy technologies that are integrated into a building’s façade or roof. The idea is that solar cells would not be an addition to a building, but rather incorporated directly into the building materials by way of shingles and glass (windows), although some BIPV components can be retrofitted onto a building. In the future, solar cells may even be printed onto brick and other external materials, but that is highly contingent upon developments in nanotechnology and few investment opportunities exist for that technology right now. If anything does pop up, I’ll be sure to pass it along. BIPV Companies For starters, let’s take look at a few of the most prominent BIPV-related companies out there. I’ll do my best to summarize each company’s technology and investment potential for each. Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE: STP) When Suntech acquired Japanese company MSK Solar in August 2006
Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) are photovoltaic systems which are built into a building, rather than being added on at a later date. These systems have a number of advantages over photovoltaic modules which are attached to a building after it has been constructed. Modern architecture often includes BIPV, and many governments have research programs in operation to develop more advanced BIPV systems and to create new ways to use photovoltaic arrays in construction. Photovoltaic systems have solar cells which can convert the energy of the sun into electricity. The electricity can be used to power a building, or it can be fed into the electrical grid as a source of renewable and Earth-friendly power. Many BIPV systems generate more energy that can be used by the building itself, so the systems add electricity to the grid in addition to powering the buildings they are installed in. Ideally, BIPV are incorporated into the design of a building in the early planning stages. The archi
