BIPV:
For many, the thought of Solar PV panels on their roof is not a nice thought. Some feel they spoil the aesthetics of their property, whilst others have issues living in conservation areas. Building Integrated Solar PV (BIPV) has been around for some time, but is now starting to become cost effective when compared to traditional Solar PV system. These systems replace traditional roof tiles and sit flat on the roof, thereby blending in with the roof line and being less conspicuous. They certainly do provide an alternative to traditional panels.
The Products:
All the tiles replace or become a part of traditional roof coverings, whilst maintaining and improving their insulation and protective properties. There are three main types of tiles Cernunnos Homes work with:
RTL-CS TILES FOR CASCADE TILING – Photovoltaic tiles, size 1000×750 mm, power 85 Wp, 90 Wp and 95Wp. Suitable for cascade tiling.
RTL-CDW TILES FOR SHINGLE ROOFING – Photovoltaic tiles, size 1000×750 mm, power 40Wp and 45Wp. Suitable for shingle-type roofing. These tiles provide a treadable surface.
STL-BA2 TILES FOR CASCADE TILING - Photovoltaic tiles, size 1500×1000 mm, power 175 and 180Wp.
The Costs:
Costs for BIPV panels are:
| 15sqm = 5m x 3m | 24sqm = 6m x 4m | ||||||
| Wp | Wp | Price | £/Wp | Wp | Price | £/Wp | |
| RTL CS | 95 | 1.90 | £6,420 | £ 3.38 | 3.40 | £11,489 | £ 3.38 |
| RTL CDW | 45 | 1.13 | £5,345 | £ 4.75 | 2.20 | £9,990 | £ 4.54 |
| STL BA-2 | 180 | ||||||
| 50sqm = 10m x 5m | 90sqm = 15m x 6m | ||||||
| Wp | Wp | Price | £/Wp | Wp | Price | £/Wp | |
| RTL CS | 95 | 6.65 | £21,769 | £ 3.27 | 12.80 | £41,902 | £ 3.27 |
| RTL CDW | 45 | 5.13 | £22,753 | £ 4.44 | 10.10 | £43,729 | £ 4.33 |
| STL BA-2 | 180 | 7.56 | £23,950 | £ 3.17 | 12.60 | £37,921 | £ 3.01 |
Costs for traditional Solar PV panels (excluding installation costs and VAT) are:
| Wp | Cost | £/Wp | |
| Sharp 180W Mono | 180 | £324.00 | £1.80 |
| Sharp 185W Mono | 185 | £336.00 | £1.82 |
| Sharp 235W Mono | 235 | £432.00 | £1.84 |
| Sharp 245W Mono | 245 | £480.00 | £1.96 |
| Sharp 220W Poly | 220 | £384.00 | £1.75 |
| Sharp 230W Poly | 230 | £402.00 | £1.75 |
| Upsolar 190W Mono | 190 | £306.00 | £1.61 |
| Upsolar 230W Poly | 230 | £366.00 | £1.59 |
| Upsolar 240W Poly | 240 | £372.00 | £1.55 |
Here you can see that traditional panels are still cheaper than BIPV, with the latter being around twice the cost of the former for the same Wp. However, because the BIPV tiles are not as strong as the PV Panels, you need to purchase more tiles to get the same amount of Wp for your system. Thus, on a tile versus panel basis they can compare similarly, whilst on a £/Wp they are about twice as expensive.
That said, they still offer a good investment return for those not willing, or able, to go down the route of traditional PV panels, and offer protection from rising energy prices.
The Colours:
The panels come in a range of colours so as to blend in with your existing tiles as much as possible:
