Investigation of the effect of Inter-Building Effect on the performance of semi-transparent PV glazing system

Semi-transparent photovoltaic glazing (STPVG) systems integrated into buildings have been widely used in engineering projects. It not only has the lighting function of a translucent envelope but also can be used for solar power generation. However, current researches rarely consider the Inter-Building Effect (IBE) on the performance of the STPVG system. In this paper, a real-time shadow model of the building complex and an STPVG system power generation model with the shadows of the surrounding buildings are developed and validated. Then the models are used to simulate and analyze the influence of building shadow on the performance of the STPVG system. The results show that the power performance of the STPVG system decreases significantly under the shadows of the surrounding buildings. And the percentage decrease in power generation and power conversion efficiency is greater than the percentage decrease in solar radiation received by the STPVG system. The lower the building floor and the larger the building spacing, the greater the influence of the surrounding building shadow on the power performance of the STPVG system. This study helps evaluate the feasibility and energy payback period of STPVG systems and provides theoretical guidance for the application of translucent STPVG systems in buildings. (c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.