Definitions

DefinitionsPhotovoltaics(PV) is a method ofgenerating electrical powerby convertingsolar radiationintodirect currentelectricityusingsemiconductorsthat exhibit thephotovoltaic effect.Photovoltaic power generation employssolar panelscomposed of a number ofsolar cellscontaining a photovoltaic material.The direct conversion of sunlight to electricity occurs without any moving parts or environmental emissions during operation.

Solar cells produce direct current electricity from sun light which can be used to power equipment or to recharge a battery.When more power is required than a single cell can deliver, cells are electrically connected together to form photovoltaic modules, or solar panels. Photovoltaic power capacity is measured as maximum power output under standardized test conditions (STC) in "Wp" (Watts peak).The actual power output at a particular point in time may be less than or greater than this standardized, or "rated," value, depending on geographical location, time of day, weather conditions, and other factors.

Cells require protection from the environment and are usually packaged tightly behind a glass sheet.Solar cells can be incorporated into the faade of a building, complementing or replacing traditional view or spandrel glass.Photovoltaics may be incorporated into awnings and saw-tooth designs on a building faade. These increase access to direct sunlight while providing additional architectural benefits such as passive shading.Photovoltaics can also be used in roofing systems & in skylight systems

Building Integrated Photo Voltaic (BIPV) refers to photovoltaic cells and modules which can be integrated as part of the building structure, and therefore can replace conventional building materials, rather than being installed afterwards.A Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) system consists of integrating photovoltaics modules into the building envelope, such as the roof or the faade. By simultaneously serving as building envelope material and power generator.Building Integrated Photo Voltaic (BIPV)

A Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) system consists of integrating photovoltaics modules into the building envelope, such as the roof or the faade. By simultaneously serving as building envelope material and power generator.Buildings are major consumers of energy in their construction, operation and maintenance. It is estimated that almost 50per cent of the global energy demand is due to buildings.

A complete BIPV system includes:

the PV modules (which might be thin-film or crystalline, transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque);a charge controller, to regulate the power into and out of the battery storage bank (in stand-alone systems);a power storage system, generally comprised of the utility grid in utility-interactive systems or, a number of batteries in stand-alone systems;power conversion equipment including an inverter to convert the PV modules' DC output to AC compatible with the utility grid;backup power supplies such as diesel generators (optional-typically employed in stand-alone systems); andappropriate support and mounting hardware, wiring, and safety disconnects.

STC Standard Test Conditions: 1000 W/m2 , 25 C solar cell temperature. PTC PVUSA Test Conditions: 1000 W/m2, 20 C ambient and 1 m/s wind speed.NOCT - Nominal Operating Cell Temperature [C]: cell temperature under 800 W/ m2, 20 C air temperature , 1m/s wind speed, with open-circuited modules installed in an open rack configuration PV ROOF SLATE MODULE SPECIFICATION