Skip to main content
European Commission logo
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
CORDIS Web 30th anniversary CORDIS Web 30th anniversary
Content archived on 2024-04-19

Development and industrial design of semitransparent and opaque multifunctional photovoltaic modules, and their implementation in the public library of Mataro-Barcelona

Objective

Multifunctional modules (M-modules) producing electrical and thermal solar energy and allowing the construction of modern buildings with efficient protection against inclement weather, light and noise, will be designed for industrial production.

A new product, the multifunctional thermo-PV module was developed. They are suitable for use on buildings and are equipped with mono/polycrystalline and amorphous silicon cells. The PV cells of the facade were arranged in a patchwork fashion to create a transparency affect. A thermal system was an important innovation and buoyancy ventilation was integrated into the thermal system.

Know-how in the field was shared between the partners. The modules can be used on the roof as well as on the facades and the improved thermal behaviour offers an energy cost reduction. On-site PV means that there are fewer land costs and less energy is lost in transporting and transforming the energy. The large semi-transparent ventilated modules are attractive as well as functional, showing protection from light, noise and weather. Monitoring the system showed that it has a performance ratio of 62%, with thermal losses between 8% and 15%. Actual performance shows that 55 MWh per year can be produced by the PV system. The building is the first of its type in Spain and one of the first in the world.
As aesthetic and architectural considerations have a high importance, large mono-crystalline and multicrystalline encapsulated PV modules as well as semitransparent a-Si:H thin film solar cells are considered at present as excellent candidates. Therefore the proposed M-modules will be made by using curtain wall technologies. In the case of semi-transparent amorphous
silicon cells, large double glazing with a patchwork of several large plates is developed. Using this technology the Mataro Public Library (MPL) will be built in the civic centre of Mataro-Barcelona (Spain). The MPL photovoltaic generator (* 50 kWp) will be connected to the grid of the Spanish electrical company ENHER. The thermal energy will be used for heating of the building, by a system based on a ventilated PV wall principle and optimised for the best PV and thermal performances and personal comfort. Monitoring of all energy and meteorological parameters will be set up to make a complete study of the behaviour of the PV and thermal systems correlated with the study in situ of solar radiation. It is expected that the present project will be an important contribution to the integration of solar energy in buildings by reducing the balance of system costs and by using attractive modules satisfying the requirements of high-tech architecture. The project involves important companies, laboratories and institutions in Spain, France and Germany.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

TEULADES I FACANES MULTIFUNCIONALS SA
EU contribution
No data
Address
S/N,Carrer Gaià, 5 S/N Poligono Industrial Pla d'en
08110 LA VALLENSANA
Spain

See on map

Total cost
No data

Participants (6)