Building Integrated Photovoltaic Test Facility

The widespread use of building integrated photovoltaics appears likely as a result of the continuing decline in photovoltaic manufacturing costs, the relative ease in which photovoltaics can be incorporated within the building envelope, and the fact that buildings account for over 40 percent of the U.S. energy consumption. However, designers, architects, installers, and consumers need more information and analysis tools in order to judge the merits of building-integrated solar photovoltaic products. In an effort to add to the knowledge base, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has undertaken a multiple-year project to collect high quality experimental performance data. The data will be used to validate computer models for building integrated photovoltaics and, where necessary, to develop algorithms that may be incorporated within these models. This paper describes the facilities that have been constructed to assist in this effort. The facilities include a mobile tracking photovoltaic test facility, a building integrated photovoltaic “test bed”, an outdoor aging rack, and a meteorological station.