Building Integrated Photovoltaic Technology in Residential Complexes 

Solar powered residential complexes are not uncommon in some parts of the world. Now, potential home buyers in India can also look forward to living in solar powered homes. The country’s first solar housing venture has recently come up on the outskirts of Kolkata. Rabi Rashmi Abasan, a pilot project of the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Authority (WBREDA), has already become an example for promoters and builders from other states to follow.

The 26 houses in this complex use building integrated photovoltaic technology or BIPV to generate electricity for domestic use. What is BIPV technology? As its name suggests, this technology uses solar panels integrated into the architecture to generate electricity. For example, solar electric panels can be built into rooftops, facades and even the glazing. In this way, sunlight is converted into electricity for use within the home. BIPV technology is reported to make structures energy efficient and eco – friendly.

According to WBREDA, around 15% of the country’s total solar power installation is generated through BIPV technology, which is growing at the rate of 50% per year.

In Rabi Rashmi Abasan, each house has Conergy C125W solar modules with the capacity to generate approximately 2kw of energy. These modules have been custom designed to be integrated into the roofs. The solar energy generated is estimated to meet around 40% of residents’ electricity requirements. Surplus solar power will be fed into the grid. Additionally, each house is equipped with a solar water heater capable of heating 100 litres a day. West Bengal is currently the only state in India, which allows domestically produced solar electricity to be fed into the grid. WBREDA claims that residents will benefit by approximately Rs. 7 per kilowatt hour.

The architectural design at Rabi Rashmi Abasan incorporates solar passive technology, which enables the houses to remain cool in summer. Basically, this technology uses cross ventilation to facilitate cool air to flow in from the water bodies located south of the complex and circulate indoors. The promoters claim the houses are “carbon neutral.”

Street lights within the complex will be solar powered and the swimming pool will have a solar heating system.

However, for BIPV to really take off in India, the high installation costs have to be set off by forward looking public policy. Subsidising the cost of installation as well as offering competitive rates for surplus power to be fed into the grid will help drive the market for BIPV in the residential sector. Here, the West Bengal Government’s initiative should serve as an example for other state governments. Governments in the West and in Japan have extended attractive incentives, which have helped spur the growth of BIPV projects in these countries.

For those who can afford homes that incorporate BIPV technology, the choice to buy one should not be determined just by payback but by the intention of contributing to a cleaner environment through the adoption of a green and reliable alternative. It is this awareness together with supportive public policy, which will promote the adoption of BIPV technology on a much wider scale.