Solar photovoltaic energy: generation in the built environment

Compared to other renewable energy technologies, modular solar photovoltaic technologies that convert sunlight into electricity and can generate power from watts to megawatts are more versatile and can be integrated within building envelopes. The cornerstone of the technology is the solar cell, which is manufactured from various semiconductor materials including silicon. Conversion effciencies and costs have improved significantly in recent years and there are now many national schemes and energy targets promoting the use of photovoltaic technology in the built environment. This paper describes the current state of solar photovoltaic technology and the approaches being considered for using it to generate electricity within buildings.