Preliminary experimental analysis of a CdTe BIPV skylight on a lab-scale test cell

The recent goal of developing new solar energy-harvesting methods has led to the study and implementation of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) glazing structures integrated into building envelopes. Thus, currently, the most energy-efficient substitute for traditional building glazing components is the BIPV window; however, to achieve a wide level of implementation, research is still required. This paper presents an experimental test chamber designed to investigate the effectiveness of a semi-transparent BIPV glazing skylight with a 40% degree of transparency. Weather parameters were monitored using a laboratory-manufactured weather station. At its peak, the PV power output is 36.78 W, at a global solar irradiance of 573.69 W/m2. Values of 67.25 °C were displayed by temperature sensors mounted on the outer glazing surface. The air temperature reached high values near the globe thermometer signals because of the small test cell size and thermal insulation. The interior illuminance values during the operation stabilised at ~16.6 klx. The experimental data were compared with findings from related research. The ranges of the results obtained in the current study matched those of previous research.