Objective The use of PhotoVoltaic (PV) modules in the built environment has rapidly been growing during the last years, especially in Europe. Building Integrated PhotoVoltaic (BIPV) modules cannot always be placed under ideal circumstances due to restrictions arising from the building profile. Therefore, non-ideal orientation and inhomogeneous irradiation resulting from shadowing from obstacles will often create non-uniform illumination. This, in turn, creates current mismatch among the different PV modules as well as among the different cells each PV module is made of. This mismatch can cause a dramatic reduction of the overall PV module power. Since current PV module technologies, both standard and smart, are not able to efficiently and effectively face the mismatch issue in highly non-uniform applications such as BIPV, innovative PV module technologies are required. The aim of this proposal is to realize a first fully functional demonstrator of Reconfigurable Smart PV (RSPV) module, able to dynamically change the electrical interconnection between the PV cells in real-time as the PV module adapts to its environment, and to develop the integrated intelligence. Both hardware and software will be designed ad hoc in order to balance additional cost and energy harvesting in non-ideal conditions. Such a solution will increase the energy harvesting in BIPV applications, where non-uniform operating conditions often occur. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwareengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energyphotovoltaicengineering and technologycivil engineeringarchitecture engineeringsustainable architecturesustainable building Keywords Photovoltaic energy Power converters Reconfigurable architectures Maximum Power Point Tracking Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUM Net EU contribution € 172 800,00 Address Kapeldreef 75 3001 Leuven Belgium See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Vlaams-Brabant Arr. Leuven Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
