Monochrome Company Limited, a Japanese greentech startup, has launched a new silver-colored building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system. These panels are specifically designed to blend seamlessly into a building’s exterior, unlike traditional panels that are mounted separately.
Such systems can be built into walls, windows, or roofs and are often considered more aesthetically pleasing than traditional “stick-on” building-applied photovoltaics (BAPV) modules.
According to reports, the new BIPV system comes in black or silver.
BIPV systems, like Monochrome’s new one, serve a dual function: they are both functional building elements and power-generation systems. This means their initial cost can be offset by replacing conventional building materials and labor.
They can be used to create a seamless roofing or wall system that is less obtrusive than scattered patches of panels. While BAPV is better suited and more cost-effective for retrofitting existing structures, BIPV is more applicable for new construction or major renovations.
More aesthetic than traditional PV
“We added the new module to our Roof-1 series in response to requests from designers and architects seeking greater freedom of expression in architectural exterior design,” the company stated, noting that the module series currently includes a black-colored module.
The silver unit is designed to look like aluminum, with an appearance that changes depending on the angle of the light. This feature makes the system appealing to architects and offers interesting design possibilities for their projects.
“The new silver color blends seamlessly with building facades and achieves an aluminum texture that changes its appearance depending on the angle of light,” they added.
“It achieves the three-dimensional shadow effect desired by architects while blending in with the surrounding environment.”
According to Monochrome, the new BIPV system measures 6.2 feet (1.9 meters) in length, 1.25 feet (0.38 meters) in width, and 0.11 inches (2.8 millimeters) in thickness.
The panels are also very lightweight, weighing as little as 2.7 pounds per square foot (13 kg/m2). The silver BIPV panel variant is able to produce around 75 W of power per panel.
BIPV is less efficient but has other benefits
While the black unit is more efficient, generating 110 W, both are fairly low compared to traditional solar panels, which often produce 300–400 W each. However, the trade-off is the superior aesthetics and seamless integration into a building’s design.
Both versions use fluorine-coated galvalume steel sheets, making them strong and corrosion-resistant. The system’s junction box has an IP-68 rating, meaning it is dust-tight and waterproof, even when submerged.
According to Monochrome, the BIPV system comes with a 25-year power output warranty. The system loses about 3% of its efficiency in the first year, but after 25 years, it will still produce at least 80% of its original power.
Reports indicate that the panels cost approximately ¥35,000 (~$236) per panel, while the black units cost around ¥27,000 (~$182) each.
Monochrome’s new solar panel system is less focused on maximizing electricity generation and more on making solar power an integral, aesthetically pleasing part of a building’s design. This allows architects to choose a sleek, modern facade that also generates usable power and comes with a long warranty.
AloJapan.com