Towards a CO² neutral urban environment: cutting the wire

Products with PV integrated are not yet a common sight in the urban environment. The best known example is parking meters. The additional price caused by the PV is offset by savings by avoiding replacement of batteries and digging up the road for a cable to the grid. An ongoing project aims at promoting the exploitation of PV in the urban environment in the zone between minor stand-alone applications and BIPV. A mapping of the light energy conditions (intensity and spectral distribution) at a number of urban locations will be conducted, using a unique data logger developed in the project. A variety of solar cells (different manufacturers and technologies) will be characterized to have data material for matching suited solar cells to given conditions, using a LED-based sun simulator which is also developed in the project. Based on the logged light energy data and characteristics of the measured solar cells a software guide will be developed for designers of PV products, who are often challenged by low light energy in urban areas and a small surface area of the product for integration of PV.