Assessing the PV-integrated south facade in mitigating the BIPV system oversupply

The substantial increase in photovoltaic (PV) power penetration, anticipated in the coming years, will pose significant challenges related to managing the inherent fluctuations in power generation. To address these challenges, this study evaluated the integration of PV-louvers into the south façade as a potential solution. By serving as both shading devices and solar power generators, PV-louvers offered a promising approach to mitigating curtailment, optimizing energy efficiency, and enhancing grid reliability. Simulations conducted across 9 ASHRAE climate zones, including very hot-humid, hot-humid, hot-dry, warm-humid, warm-dry, warm-marine, mixed-humid, mixed-dry and warm-marine revealed that south façade PV-louvers significantly reduced curtailment in very hot, hot, and warm climate zones, but were less effective in mixed-humid, mixed-dry and warm-marine climates. Statistical analysis confirmed the effectiveness of PV-louvers. An ANOVA analysis yielding an F-statistic of 8.61 and a very small p-value of approximately 4.62 × 10 − 20 confirmed statistically significant differences in curtailment performance between different typologies. In June, the south façade PV-louver (S1 typology) outperformed all other typologies and demonstrating its effectiveness in curtailment mitigation. Overall, PV-louvers offer a promising solution for addressing curtailment, particularly in cooling-dominant months, offering a viable solution for addressing curtailment during period that it is the most significant. • BIPV energy production and consumption were calculated in two scenarios: south facade PV louvers and roof-mounted PVs. • Simulations were done across 9 different ASHRAE climate zones. • Effectiveness of south façade PV-louvers and roof-mounted PVs in mitigating duck curve curtailment was investigated. • Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of BIPV typologies in reducing curtailment.