Global Estimation of Building-Integrated Facade and Rooftop Photovoltaic Potential by Integrating 3D Building Footprint and Spatio-Temporal Datasets

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive method for estimating building-integrated PV potential globally by combining 3D building data with meteorological information, highlighting the significance of facades alongside rooftops.

Contribution

The study introduces an integrated approach that accounts for urban morphology and climate to evaluate facade and rooftop PV potential at multiple scales.

Findings

Facade PV potential can reach approximately 68.2% of rooftop PV potential.

17.5% of cities analyzed have higher facade PV potential than rooftop.

Urban form and geographic location significantly influence BIPV potential.

Abstract

This research tackles the challenges of estimating Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) potential across various temporal and spatial scales, accounting for different geographical climates and urban morphology. We introduce a holistic methodology for evaluating BIPV potential, integrating 3D building footprint models with diverse meteorological data sources to account for dynamic shadow effects. The approach enables the assessment of PV potential on facades and rooftops at different levels-individual buildings, urban blocks, and cities globally. Through an analysis of 120 typical cities, we highlight the importance of 3D building forms, cityscape morphology, and geographic positioning in measuring BIPV potential at various levels. In particular, our simulation study reveals that among cities with optimal facade PV performance, the average ratio of facade PV potential to rooftop PV potential is approximately 68.2%. Additionally, approximately 17.5% of the analyzed samples demonstrate even higher facade PV potentials compared to rooftop installations. This finding underscores the strategic value of incorporating facade PV applications into urban sustainable energy systems.