Numerical simulation design of low cost semi-transparent photovoltaics to integrate in the building facades

This paper presents a numerical simulation study of the performance of semi-transparent, or spaced, photovoltaic cells integrated in fenestration, taking into consideration both power produced by the cells, daylight transmitted, and the lighting loads required to achieve a desired workplane illuminance. As the cells are spaced further apart, or the effective transmittance is increased, the power produced by the PV decreases and the power required for the lighting loads increases. This paper will address the issue of optimizing the spacing of these cells for a simplified model based on a small office with a 3- section incorporating a PV section, a viewing section and a spandrel section. A calculation for the base case and different cell spacing will be presented for design days.