Integration of Photovoltaics in Steel Facade Panels

The integration of photovoltaics (PV) into infrastructures, particularly in buildings, is a key strategy for meeting renewable energy expansion targets without using additional green spaces. The resulting growing market demand for integrated PV solutions is the motivation for this project. The primary objective of the project is to develop a PV module concept for integration into large-scale façade elements. Unlike standard PV modules, this concept envisions a structure without front glass; instead, a transparent polymeric film will be used. Additionally, the steel sheet, from which the façade element is originally manufactured, will be integrated into the back of the PV module during the module manufacturing process. The project aims to identify, modify and qualify solutions for the polymeric frontsheet, encapsulant material and backsheet foil. Compared to existing modules, these PV-integrated façade panels will be manufactured in a lightweight construction. This not only offers advantages in terms of installation stability, but also enables a continuous manufacturing process. Determining whether a polymer material is suitable for the specified processing conditions can be accomplished through material characterization. This abstract presents preliminary results obtained from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) conducted on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with polyethylene (PE) layer or polypropylene (PP) backsheet foils. TGA analysis identified 325 °C as the maximum process temperature for these materials to prevent any potential structural or functional changes. The optimal process temperatures, as determined from melting temperature from DSC results, are material-depended. For PET-based foils, with PE lining, temperatures above 100 °C should be sufficient to achieve good adhesion, whereas for PP-based foils, the lamination process should be performed at temperatures around 160 °C. The next step is the integration of backsheet foils onto the steel sheet and subsequent adhesion characterization.