U.S. Guidelines for the Economic Analysis of Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Power Systems

Traditionally, electrical service for buildings has been provided by one pre-determined supplier-the utility company. An unexpected side effect of the privatization and deregulation of the electricity industry, initiated during the late 1980s and early 1990s, is the opportunity for consumers to purchase electricity from a variety of energy service companies or to generate electricity themselves.Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Energy, national energy laboratories, universities, and photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers have technically evaluated, tested, and demonstrated building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) to be a viable technology. Electricity industry restructuring and successful PV research and development raise a dilemma for building owners: is it worth the investment and effortto engage in the process of generating electricity with photovoltaics for individual buildings? A BIPV power system operates as a multifunctional building construction material; it generates energy as well as serves as part of the building envelope. The objective of the U.S. Guidelines for the Economic Assessment of Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Power Systems is to identify the economicparameters of BIPV systems. Identifying these parameters will enable the decision-makers to appraise the economic feasibility and implications of investments in such building systems.