Toward Net-Zero Buildings
Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) refers to the integration of photovoltaic (PV) devices into the building envelope, replacing traditional materials with those that serve as building skin and solar power generator.
Taking an innovative approach to BIPV, Pythagoras Solar’s optically-enhanced solar window is the industry’s first to deliver “Triple Value” benefits—energy efficiency, PV power generation, and transparency—in a standard form factor that is easily integrated into conventional building design and construction processes, while providing an aesthetically appealing appearance. These “Triple Value” benefits will allow new building materials to leverage the rising demand for Green Buildings and declining cost of PV devices to advance toward the goal of self-powered, Net Zero Energy buildings.
Why BIPV and why Pythagoras Solar starts with the growing worldwide demand for electricity and the search for distributed renewable energy resources.
Growing Worldwide Demand for Electricity and Fossil Fuels
According to the 2009 International Energy Outlook report published by the US Energy Information Agency, the worldwide demand for electricity continues to grow 2.4 percent a year and is mainly serviced by fossil fuels.
World net electricity generation is expected to increase by 77 percent between 2006 and 2030, rising from 18.0 trillion kilowatthours to 31.8 trillion kilowatthours. If current trends hold, fossil fuel (coal, petroleum, and natural gas) will continue to be the main source of energy for electricity generation—66 percent of total energy—with coal, the most environmentally damaging and highest producer of carbon dioxide emissions of the fossil fuels, representing about 40 percent. Predictably, the result of this mix of energy sources for electricity generation is a 39 percent rise in carbon dioxide emissions from 29.0 billion metric tons in 2006 to 40.4 in 2030.
The environmental effects and threat of climate change from carbon dioxide emissions due to fossil fuel usage in electricity generation are widely known and debated. Pricing unpredictability, dwindling supplies, and energy security have added to concerns about fossil fuels. Attempts to curb carbon emissions and address these concerns have been undertaken by international bodies as well as national, state and local governments through and regulations which set goals for lower emissions, as well as tax incentives and grants that promote energy conservation and accelerate development and deployment of clean, renewable sources of energy.
Renewable Energy
With help from governments and venture capital investments, renewable energy, including hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, and solar, is the fastest growing source for generating electricity. Still, it is only projected to reach 21percent of world electricity generation by 2030, with hydroelectric and wind making up about 87 percent of the growth.
The Sun, A Limitless Energy Source
Solar power is the most promising long-term, clean, renewable energy resource with potential to deliver 120,000 terawatts compared to non-solar renewable energy sources’ capacity to provide 7-10 terawatts (Global electricity demand is expected to reach 30 terawatts by 2030). Yet, solar power remains largely untapped. While the photovoltaic (PV) solar has grown at an exponential rate over the last few years including a record 5.95 gigawatts installed in 2008--a 110 percent increase vs. 2007, it still represents less than one percent of the overall electricity generated worldwide.
In contrast to other renewable energy sources, solar is modular and highly-scalable, capable of cost-efficiently supplying energy from a few watts to utility-scale power plants of 60MW online today and 500MW expected in the next three years. Indeed, while PV’s modularity will allow it to grow in this broad range of applications, its most promising and economically viable market lies in the application of solar power at the point of use where it can make the most difference—the buildings where we work, play, and live.
Buildings are the largest consumers of energy worldwide and among the least efficient. According to the United States Department of Energy, building operations account for up to 39 percent of the country’s total energy consumption and 70 percent of its power plant generated electricity, while 34 percent of this energy is lost through poor building efficiency. Not surprisingly, the American Solar Energy Society estimates that approximately 43 percent of US and 9 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions result from the energy services required to service these buildings.
Leveraging solar power to design energy efficient and self-powered Green Buildings can lead to big payoffs in meeting environmental regulations, reducing costs, and enhancing real estate value.