THE WORLD IS BUILDING SUN INTO BUILDINGS

Building Integrated Photovoltaics; BIPV and BAPV: Market Drivers and Challenges, Technology Issues, Competitive Landscape, and Global Market Forecasts

3Q 2012 (Pike Research/Navigant)

“The building industry in the United States and in many other parts of the world has faced severe challenges, with continued low housing starts and new builds…[and] the global solar industry has been subjected to severe reductions in financial subsidies in key markets…The emergent building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and building applied photovoltaics (BAPV) market, which straddles the two industries, offers a new way to develop revenue streams for both…

“…Though it has drawn scant attention, until recently, from the solar industry’s major players, BIPV is set to become one of the fastest-growing segments in the sector, with up to 4.6 GW of installations forecast through 2017…Despite [r]eductions in feed-in tariffs and other support schemes for solar…[and] the ongoing economic troubles in the Eurozone…Western Europe remains the largest market for BIPV products.”

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“Other notable new markets for BIPV that are likely to emerge through 2017 include Eastern Europe (Lithuania, Serbia, Slovenia, Poland, and Ukraine), Asia Pacific (especially Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand), Latin America (Brazil and Chile), and South Africa…

“While the solar industry has faced numerous challenges in the United States, the U.S. government is paying greater attention to BIPV, as shown by the Department of Energy’s approval of an additional $145 million in funding for the SunShot Initiative – and specifically BIPV development programs – in September 2011…”

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